


A Way Home

by SZH



Category: The Secret of the Unicorn Queen - Josepha Sherman
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Friendship, Magic, Monsters, Romance, Some angst, Unicorns, Unofficial Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2019-10-12
Packaged: 2020-12-13 22:09:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 57,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21004943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SZH/pseuds/SZH
Summary: A day after her return from her second trip through the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device, Sheila arrives back at Dr. Reit's house only to find out that he has dismantled his greatest invention. With her only way back to the world of the unicorn queen gone, Sheila is distraught. But then a strange girl appears on her doorstep, and Sheila soon finds herself undertaking a new adventure in the hopes that she can return once more to the place where she truly belongs, this time forever.





	1. Stuck in the Wrong World

“You disassembled the transport device?! Why, Dr. Reit?!”

Sheila McCarthy was back in the lab of her friend, Dr. Reit. She had rushed directly there after school, hoping he had changed his mind from the previous night, when he had put his foot down about Sheila not taking another other-worldly trip. He had welcomed her as usual, but when she came into the lab and saw a pile of machine parts and components next to where the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device had formerly stood, she was stricken. All that was left of the device that had sent her to another world was an empty metal frame, bereft of the wires and tubes and panels and what-not that had been attached to it before. And in addition to that, she found Dr. Reit packing a suitcase. What was going on?

“My dear girl,” Dr. Reit said as he tossed two more books into the suitcase. “You know how much danger there is in that contraption. After the events of two unscheduled trips…well, for now, it’s better off disabled completely and that meant breaking it down.”

Sheila did understand how dangerous it was – she had snuck in only yesterday then returned after a much longer period in another world – but she also understood how marvelous it was. It was Dr. Reit’s greatest invention that had sent her to an incredible new world, a world of magic and unicorns and warriors, and she wanted to go back. She felt like she needed to go back, just as she had told Dr. Reit the night before when her attempt at a magic spell had somehow returned them both. Dr. Reit had insisted she’d feel differently the next day, but she didn’t. If anything, her feelings were stronger than before.

“But Dr. Reit, I heard them,” Sheila said. “I heard Illyria and Darian last night after I got back home.”

“Did you?”

Because this was Dr. Reit, Sheila knew he wasn’t condescending or being skeptical. He honestly wanted to know more. “I somehow managed to cast a spell that briefly let me speak with them. And when I did, it made me realize…that maybe I’m done over there yet. Maybe I’m meant to go back!”

“I see. More magic. That’s interesting and certainly something I’d love to study, but I don’t see any way to do so. As for returning, I’m sorry, Sheila, but it’s simply not safe.”

“I don’t think it’s that unsafe,” Sheila said, though she knew that line of reasoning was unlikely to convince Dr. Reit to change his mind. He was a scientist, so she needed to use logical arguments. “I mean, it’s not that much different from riding a bus or getting on a plane, right? Sure, there’s a chance something could go wrong, but it can also take you to someplace amazing and wonderful.”

Dr. Reit looked up from his packing and smiled. “I don’t know of any planes or busses that take me to other dimensions.”

“Well, no. But you said once told me there’s a certain amount of trial and error in scientific research. Maybe…maybe we’re still in that stage here…”

“Sheila, when the ‘error’ can potentially result in the loss of life of the investigator or someone important to them, it’s time to rethink the way one’s conducting their work.”

“But…without the device…how will we ever get back there?”

“We won’t,” Dr. Reit said. “After all that happened to the both of us, I think it’s safest for us to remain in our own world and time, Sheila. I’ve certainly had enough extra-dimensional traveling, that’s for sure. I’ve decided to shift the focus of my investigations.”

“You…you’re abandoning your work entirely?” This was one shock after another. Sheila couldn’t believe what was happening.

“That particular course of research is on indefinite hiatus. However, I would never abandon scientific work entirely of course.” Dr. Reit motioned to the mostly full suitcase. “That’s why I’m packing. I’ve decided to go out to Pasadena for a while to help my nephew with something he’s working on. It’s a fascinating line of inquiry, and it’ll be good for me to tackle something else for a while. Granted, it won’t be something with quite as much action as my recent work, given that we won’t be creating any gateways to alternate universes, but I think there’s still the potential for excitement. He has a brilliant mind, my nephew.”

“He must take after you,” Sheila said despite the feelings of disbelief and other emotions swirling around inside her. And she meant what she said. Who else but Dr. Reit could have invented a machine that opened a portal to another world?

“Thank you, Sheila.” Dr. Reit smiled at her. “I’ll miss you while I’m gone, but I hope you’ll come to see me when I’m back.”

“Of course, I will,” Sheila said. “It’s just that…well, Dr. Reit, don’t you wonder what happened over there? What will happen? To all the people we met? To the unicorns?”

“Certainly. But part of science is accepting that you don’t know everything. And that you can’t always learn everything, either.”

That didn’t ease her pain at all. She not only wanted to know what had happened, but she also wanted to know what would happen and to be there as a part of it. Sheila thought of the words Darian had spoken to her across the divide of space and time: that she would return. When she had heard him say that, she thought he was right and that, somehow, she would.

Now she began to doubt it. Dr. Reit had removed her only means of ever getting there. She still wasn’t entirely sure how the spell of protection had sent them back, but there was no way she could cast it the same way again and send herself back there.

Sheila started to tear up a little. “I’m sorry, Dr. Reit, I just…”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Sheila,” Dr. Reit said warmly, patting her shoulder as he did. “I understand that you’ve been through something miraculous and life-changing. But I couldn’t live with myself if you were killed over there or came to be grievously injured, not only as a mentor of sorts to you but also as a friend.”

“I came out okay though…And, Dr. Reit, say if you did rebuild it…”

“Sheila,” Dr. Reit said gently. “Even if I rebuilt the machine, there’s no guarantee it would send you back to the same place, even without modifying the settings. You might land on another planet or in another dimension entirely. I need to go over my own theories and spend a lot of time studying before I ever experiment with this again. Remember, my original intention was never to open a doorway to another dimension. It was supposed to be a doorway to someplace else here on Earth. Here.” He handed her a white handkerchief, then threw a tarp over the weird metal frame that had once been the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device.

“You could…find it again, though right?” Sheila asked hopefully. She sniffed and wiped her eyes. “That land with unicorns and magic and…everyone else.”

“I took notes, of course,” Dr. Reit said. “But there’s a certain amount of ‘noise’ in the process, so to speak. Positional drift, that is. Even with the proper settings, I can’t guarantee the device will point to the same location. Plus, with the flow of time so different between the two planes, who knows if it would even be the same world you remember? Decades or even centuries may have passed over there. And I wouldn’t be able to lock on your position either, regardless of wherever you were sent. Whatever that last trip did to the tracker ruined it completely. It won’t work anymore. Maybe that madman Mardock broke it.”

“But…what if….” Sheila didn’t know how to finish.

“You’ve had a number of extraordinary experiences,” Dr. Reit said. “As befits an extraordinary girl. At the same time, I want to keep you safe. And that means staying here. It was irresponsible enough of me to allow what’s already happened. Oh, look at the time! I need to be off soon. I’m running a little late. Here, into the crate, Einstein.” He tried to nudge the pudgy little cat into a large grey crate. Einstein simply purred at him and didn’t move.

Sheila knelt and helped Dr. Reit coax Einstein into the cat crate. Thanking her, he picked up both the crate and his suitcase and headed for the front door. Sheila followed him outside where he locked up his house before turning to her.

“While I’m away, take a little time for yourself to think all this over,” Dr. Reit said. “Perhaps try writing about it some. That can help one organize their thoughts sometimes. We’ll talk more when I get back. I promise.”

He put his suitcase and Einstein’s crate into the passenger side of the Ferrari parked in the driveway, the same car that he had once driven into that other world. He gave Sheila one last smile as he climbed into the driver’s seat. He started up the car, and the engine roared.

“Take care, Sheila!” Dr. Reit called as he waved at her. He backed out the driveway and drove off, leaving Sheila feeling more alone than ever. She watched his car drive down the street, turn around a corner, and vanish. She walked down the driveway of the now-vacated Victorian house and headed for home.

She felt sad and empty, still unable to forget everything that had happened the previous night. Well, more like the previous months, even, given how ‘long’ she had been away. And of course, now there was nobody she could talk about any of this with. She couldn’t share what had happened with her parents or with her best friend Cookie. The only person she’d have been able to discuss the other world with was Dr. Reit. And he had now left town.

Dejected, Sheila slowly walked home. She understood why he had deactivated and stripped down the transport device, but part of her was angry with him all the same. And then she didn’t want to be angry at Dr. Reit, who had always been a good friend to her, and felt bad about that. She kept up a neutral face during dinner with her parents, but excused herself to her room shortly afterward and started crying again. She sat at her desk and tried writing some as Dr. Reit had suggested, but it just wasn’t the same. 

Would it be possible for her to magically contact Illyria again? Just speaking with the unicorn queen or Darian or someone over there would ease her frustration some. She sat down on the rug in her bedroom and began the process of grounding herself. She glanced up out of her window at the moon which wasn’t quite full anymore then closed her eyes.

“Moon above,” she said. “Help me reach the unicorn queen.”

But unlike the night before, nothing happened. She tried several more times but still got no results. Maybe she was too wound up to properly cast a spell. Or maybe she needed the full moon. Or maybe the magic wasn’t going to work a second time. If only Micula was here. It was a little ironic that Sheila had resisted lessons from the sorceress so much, but now wished for her presence more than almost anything. Eventually, she gave up on trying anything else and went to bed but it was a long time before sleep came. She’d have even welcomed dreams of unicorns again, but when she finally asleep, she didn’t dream.

* * *

School the next day was a miserable affair to her: drab and dull and pointless. It was as bad as the previous day had been, except now Sheila knew she didn’t have anything to look forward to.

In homeroom, the announcements went on about the Hillside High football team, about the upcoming fall break, about this and that and a whole mess of other things Sheila no longer cared about at all. Trying to return to a ‘normal’ life had been hard enough the first time. It was even harder the second time. After all, she hadn’t left by choice during the events in Ryudain. She’d had no chance to say good-bye to everyone. And with the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device dismantled, she had no way to ever obtain closure.

As homeroom dragged on, she stared off into space, thinking of unicorns and magic. She thought about the wondrous things she had seen and experienced. She thought of the friends she had made, the band of riders into which she had been accepted.

“A reminder that homecoming dance tickets are still on sale,” the morning announcer read over the PA. “Please be sure to purchase yours soon if you haven’t already! The dance will be….”

Sheila ignored the rest. Homecoming dance? How was that going to compare to fighting in a battle or exploring a strange new land?

It might have been nice to go to a homecoming dance with Darian, the only boy unicorn rider, though. She remembered the time she had danced with him after the riders’ victory in Ansar. She imagined her and Darian attending a dance together…but in her head, he was wearing a bit of leather armor instead of a tuxedo!

_He’d look handsome in a tuxedo though_, Sheila thought as she shuffled off to her first class and sank into her seat. As for the other riders, well, Nanine would have enjoyed the dance, she was sure. And she’d no doubt wear something glamorous. She remembered Pelu, the gentle healer, and her crush on one of Prince Laric’s men, Cam. Did she ever have any chance to talk with him more? Sheila hadn’t asked, and now it seemed like she would never have the chance. And what happened to the unicorns when they renewed their magic? Illyria had said that were alright, but what of Morning Star, Sheila’s own unicorn? Was she still in the wilds? Did she miss Sheila? Sheila certainly missed her.

Sheila was so lost in her thoughts that by the end of class, she realized she hadn’t taken any notes. Well, that didn’t matter. She’d get them from someone else. She shuffled along to her next class, feeling all alone despite the many people around her. The school day dragged on.

Her best Cookie noticed her melancholy during lunch.

“Are you okay, Sheila?” she asked. “Er…hello? Earth to Sheila?”

Sheila, whose thoughts were a zillion miles away from the school cafeteria, looked up suddenly. “Huh?”

“Is everything alright?” Cookie asked. “I’m serious. You insisted to me yesterday morning that you were okay, but I’m still worried about you. You really haven’t seemed like yourself lately, and you’re even worse today. You barely said anything to me on the way to school this morning.”

Sheila looked at Cookie. Her large blue eyes were full of concern. For a moment, Sheila once again considered spilling everything to her, everything that had happened to her and everything she was now feeling. Would Cookie believe her? Would she think Sheila was crazy? Or would she suspect Dr. Reit had done something to Sheila? No, there was too much risk in sharing. For now, Sheila had to keep it all a secret.

“I just have a lot on my mind,” Sheila finally said, which was the truth, even if it was incomplete. She wondered if she would ever be able to tell anyone else what all had happened.

“Maybe you’ve been taking on too much,” Cookie said. “All the new sports you’ve been trying when you already play softball and you’ve been going horseback riding too…”

Too much? If anything, Sheila felt like she didn’t do enough. Or, at least, not enough of the right sort of things. After a world of unicorns and warriors and magic and tyrants and everything else, ‘normal’ life could never compare. But she couldn’t just say all that to Cookie.

“No, I feel like that’s good for me,” Sheila said. “I like keeping busy.”

“But not so busy you wear yourself out.”

“Fair enough,” Sheila said. “If I start to get fatigued, I’ll tone things down some.” She didn’t feel tired though. If anything, she felt restless. School life was so slow compared to a warrior’s life.

“Why don’t come to my play next week?” Cookie suggested. “We’re starting dress rehearsals today. It’s going to be great!”

“Your play…” Sheila faltered. Suddenly she felt like a bad friend. It seemed like months ago Cookie had told her about it (which, for her, it had been). Which play was it that she was in? Oh, right! “_Romeo and Juliet_. And you’re playing…”

“Lady Capulet,” Cookie finished for her. “It’s one of the greatest love stories ever told, even if it ends in tragedy. I mean, I know it’s not like the wizards and spaceships you usually like.”

“I’ll still go and see it,” Sheila said, smiling a little. “After all, you’re in it.” Maybe it would help take her mind off of things. Then again, maybe not. How was she supposed to focus on any sort of storybook tale when she had so recently lived out one herself?


	2. The Stranger

Sheila kicked a rock aimlessly as she walked down Cardinal Street after school. She still had no idea what to do with herself. Since Cookie was rehearsing for her play, and Sheila didn’t have any clubs to attend that afternoon, she was on her own. Of course, there was no going to visit Dr. Reit, since he was gone. Not that she was sure she’d have wanted to visit him, given that it would be a painful reminder of what could have been. Part of her was still resentful of him for that.

She considered going over to the stables and riding a horse, but riding a horse didn’t compare to riding her unicorn. It didn’t compare to riding across the plains and mountains with the wind in her hair and her fellow warriors around her, riding into battle or exploring someplace new. Similarly, fencing and archery didn’t feel the same when she just did them as sports. There was nothing in this world that would compare to what her life had been in the other one.

It was another beautiful October day. The sky was a brilliant blue, and the weather wasn’t too hot or too cold. The leaves were turning and painting the trees red and yellow and orange. But Sheila couldn’t enjoy any of it at all. Her thoughts were still on the evens of the previous two days, events that had spanned months to her. The first trip to another world had changed her, sure, but she never thought a second trip through would change her even more. Sheila McCarthy the average teenager had morphed into Sheila McCarthy the warrior, and warriors weren’t good at sitting idle. 

On top of that, she missed everyone she had known over there. Illyria, the unicorn queen, brave and tough Myno, even haughty Dian, with whom she’d had an ongoing rivalry. She missed her unicorn Morning Star and wondered if she was okay. And she missed Darian. She missed the times they had talked together, his jokes, and the way he looked when he smiled at her. Thinking of the times they had spent together, of the times he had kissed her…well, that made her sadness even worse. What would happen to him? Would he forget her? Time passed differently between worlds, so he might have already. That thought gave Sheila a dull pain the pit of her stomach.

Would she still have gone back in the first place if she had known she’d feel like this following her return? And if she had known what returning the second time would have felt like, would she ever have wanted to leave that world at all?

Pointless questions. She was here on Earth, and that was that. She sighed. Would she have to spend the rest of her life pretending to care about mundane things like high school and college and a job and what-not? Would she eventually forget about what happened, unable to recall the unicorns, her fellow riders, and Darian?

_No_, she thought. _I’ll never forget what happened over there. And I’ll never forget about them._ She conjured up their faces in her mind again as she walked, wondering again if it would be worthwhile to try another summoning spell when the next full moon came. Darian had told her she’d find a way back. Was that maybe one of those ways? What if the magic she had brought with her was completely gone by then? Sheila didn’t want to think such fatalistic thoughts, but it was hard to not be pessimistic.

Neither of her parents was at home when she got there. Both of them were still at work, so she had the entire afternoon to herself. Lucky her. She threw her bag down and slumped down on a bench on the McCarthy front porch, sighed again, and stared miserably at the ground. She was moping, sure, and obsessing over everything, but figured she’d give herself a little while to do so. Maybe Dr. Reit was correct in that eventually she’d come to feel better about staying in this world. She doubted it though.

She sat lost in her thoughts for some time until she heard a loud tap-tap-tap against the porch concrete, startling her out of her reverie. She looked up and saw she wasn’t alone; there was a tall girl roughly her own age, maybe a year or so older, who stood on the porch and was looking down at her thoughtfully. Sheila hadn’t heard her approach at all. The girl was wearing a long white hooded cloak over light brown leather leggings and worn boots. She pushed back her hood, and Sheila noticed that she had very light hair that looked almost white. It was tied back in a basic ponytail. A brown leather satchel hung at her side. But even more unusual was that she was armed – there was a bow slung over one shoulder and a long spear in her right hand. She must have tapped its bottom on the porch to get Sheila’s attention.

“Ah!” Sheila said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t notice you come up the sidewalk, and you surprised me. Uh…can I help you?” Who was this girl? Someone from school? Sheila didn’t recognize her. Maybe this girl was selling something. Maybe she got the date wrong and thought that it was already Halloween. The only place Sheila had seen someone dressed in that manner, except in a movie or a play, was…well, in the other world.

The girl said something in a strange-sounding language. Sheila shook her head. “Uh, I don’t know…whatever language it is you’re speaking.”

The girl tilted her head and said something else. Sheila shook her head again and shrugged. “I still have no idea what you’re saying.”

The girl frowned. After a pause, she carefully said: “Can you understand this?”

“There we are,” Sheila said. “Yes, I can understand you now.”

The girl’s eyes widened and her fair-skinned face lit up a little. “And I can understand you in turn. Finally, someone here I can speak with. Thank the goddess. So…are you a southlander? Is that where we are? The far south?”

Sheila blinked. “A southlander? What are you talking about?”

“A southlander as in someone from the southern lands,” the girl replied. She had a bit of an accent, but Sheila couldn’t place it. “Maybe I got the word wrong. Let me see…Campora, Varland, someplace around there? You speak the southern tongue, after all. Are either of those places nearby?”

This was the last thing Sheila had expected to hear. Campora? Here?

“You…know about Campora?” Sheila asked, half-wondering if she had misheard this girl.

“Campora? Well, yes,” the girl said. “A little, that is. I’ve never been there myself. I do know that it’s far south of my home and is ruled by a man named Dynasian. However, even though I don’t know a great deal about the southern lands, I still can’t help but think this isn’t them. Not quite. This land seems like…someplace else entirely. The goddess is silent here. There are so many strange things present that I’ve never seen before. And I’ve been here for nearly a moon’s turn, but you’re the only person I’ve met who speaks any language I recognize at all. So I ask again, where exactly are we? It’s not the afterlife, I’m certain of that much.”

Realization dawned on Sheila about where this girl was from. This should have been impossible. Was she having a dream? Had she fallen asleep on the porch? Shelia pinched her left arm. No, this was real. Very real. It couldn’t have been any kind of prank or hoax either. Nobody else knew about the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device and what was on the other side except for her and Dr. Reit. And there was no way this girl could have known the names ‘Campora’ and ‘Dynasian’ unless…

“You’re from the other world,” Sheila whispered in amazement. How had this girl traveled here? And how had she found Sheila?

“The other world.” The girl repeated Sheila’s words, thoughtfully, mulling over them. “You know, I had wondered at first if I had skipped through time or some such. Perhaps instead I’ve been sent farther than any Evurin has even gone. I guess that’s what comes from toying with the ancients’ magic. I wonder if they ever visited this place. There’s no record of that, but who can be sure of anything when it comes to them? It’s said they destroyed themselves, you know. But maybe some of them lost their wits and perished in a place like this after opening a gate here. Or maybe some of them ended up in oblivion. Well, hopefully, none of that will happen to me.” She looked at Sheila expectantly. “Anyway, assuming I’m not mad or in any kind of oblivion, is that truly what’s going on? Am I in another world? Are you trapped here, just like me?”

“No,” Sheila said, trying to collect herself and process what all this girl was saying, which was hard when she kept chattering on. “This is my world…the other one, I just…happened to travel there.”

“I see,” the girl said, now looking intrigued. “I already figured that you had some power before I even found you. Can you move between worlds via magic?”

“No, via science,” Shelia said, shaking her head, still trying to come to terms with what was happening. The last thing she had expected this afternoon was something like this. Her depression seemed to be temporarily lifted, replaced with astonishment and curiosity.

“Science.” The girl tilted her head a little as she repeated the word carefully. Like many other words, it didn’t translate so well. “I’m not familiar with…whatever that is.”

“A sort of magic,” Shelia said, waving her hand. She had accepted that this girl was real, and she had many, many questions she wanted to ask. She decided to start with the most obvious ones. “How did you end up here? And how did you find me?”

“It’s a long story how I got here,” the girl said. “As to how I found you, well, when I sensed some familiar magic being done near here two days ago, I knew I had to find it. I followed the echo of it to its source, which is you. Yours is the only other magic I’ve felt since…well, since I arrived here, and I would like to know why that is. And who you are as well.”

“Me?” Sheila wondered. Then she realized the girl was probably talking about what Sheila had done the other night when she had successfully contacted Illyria and Darian across the divide between worlds. Or maybe she had somehow sensed the spell of protection that had brought Sheila and Dr. Reit back. That was the only magic Sheila had done. Had this girl really sensed that? Was she a sorceress? The list of questions Sheila had was growing by the minute. The girl started chattering on about something again, but Sheila held up her hand to stop her. “Why don’t you come inside? I think we have a lot to talk about.”

Sheila opened the door to her house and led the girl inside. She stopped in the foyer and looked around curiously, taking in everything. Finally, she turned back to Sheila. “I guess introductions are in order. I am Farryn of the Evurin, daughter of Ulesse and servant of the goddess. Eavothen is my homeland.” She bowed her head and then tapped her chest twice.

None of that meant anything to Sheila. But then, there had always been so much about that other world that she didn’t know.

“I’m Sheila McCarthy,” she replied, bowing a little back and hoping that was the polite thing to do. “Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy. Of…uh…the planet Earth. Pleased to meet you.”

“Well-met, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said, smiling at her. Her light grey eyes regarded Sheila with friendliness. “You have no idea how glad I am to finally meet someone I can speak with.”

Speak with? Of course, Sheila thought. If this girl really was from the other world, then she didn’t speak any language known on Earth. Sheila remembered how she had been unable to speak with anyone when she had first crossed over into the Unicorn Queen’s world and how the Gem of Speaking had given her the other world’s language. She had retained it when she hopped between worlds. And now she was able to hold a conversation with this girl. Sheila was glad that magic had remained with her on both sides.

“Come into the kitchen,” Sheila invited Farryn. “I’ll get you something to drink.”

Farryn seemed fairly interested in the appliances in the kitchen, looking over the microwave and stove before Sheila gestured for her to sit down at the table. She removed the hooded cloak she was wearing, commenting something about it being warm. Sheila noticed that the clasp on her cloak showed a crescent moon, the sun, and some stars. What did that mean? Under the cloak, she wore a plain white tunic, and Sheila also noticed that she had a curved dagger in a sheath and what looked like a hatchet attached to her belt. But those seemed secondary to the sheathed short sword that she had also been hiding under her cloak. At one time, Sheila would have been perturbed by one person carrying so weapons, but she had armed herself similarly only the other day.

After leaning her spear and bow against a wall, Farryn laid her cloak over a chair and set her pack carefully down on the table. She sat down, and Sheila went to the refrigerator to try and select something for her. Maybe Farryn would just like water? Orange juice? Or had she come to enjoy the drinks that couldn’t be found in the other world? Had she even tried them? Sheila pulled out two bottles and set one down in front of her guest.

“Oh, I haven’t seen something like this before,” Farryn said, examining the bottle with interest. “It’s so dark. Is this beer?”

“I’m not old enough to drink beer,” Sheila said. “It’s a cola. It’s probably not anything you’ve had before and people in this world like it. Try it.”

Farryn uncapped the cola and sniffed it a little. Apparently okay with the smell, she took a small drink from the bottle and then made a funny face. “It’s bubbly. Burns a little. And it’s very sweet.”

“That’s cola for you,” Sheila said, smiling.

“I think I could like this too.” Farryn drank some more very quickly then suddenly belched loudly. This time, Sheila broke out laughing. She couldn’t help it. She then realized this was probably the first time she had really smiled since she had returned.

“Not a bad drink at all,” Farryn said, smiling as well. “And it’s nice to share it with someone. To not be alone for once.”

“It is nice to not feel alone,” Sheila agreed, realizing she was now speaking about both this girl and herself. “You’ve probably had a pretty hard time, crossing into another world. I know what that’s like.”

“Yes, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said, drinking more cola. “And as such, I suspect we have a lot to share with each other. Would you like to begin, or shall I?”

“Maybe you should,” Sheila said. “For starters, I’d like to hear how you came to be here.”

“Of course.” Farryn opened her satchel, pulled out what looked like an ancient leather-bound book, and set it on the table between them. The cover was faded and stained, and it looked like the pages were tattered and yellow. “It was this that brought me here.”

“You ended up here because of a book?” Sheila asked. Curious, she opened the book and saw that it was full of loopy-looking writing in a language she didn’t recognize. Was that Farryn’s language? She flipped through it until she came upon a page that showed a drawing of some stone archway and what looked like a colorful rune under it.

“There,” Farryn said, tapping the picture of the arch. “That thing right there. That is what brought me to this land. Let me tell you the whole story.”

Farryn began her tale, and Sheila immediately felt drawn in, reminded of the world she missed so badly.


	3. Farryn's Story

In the mountains north of Eavothen, Farryn and a small group of other disciples trudged through the snow and ice. Their goal was the peak of the highest mountain in that range, the one called the Sky Render. This was part of their training to become apostles of the goddess, the greatest of her servants and soldiers.

(“And Eavothen is way north of Campora, right?” Sheila asked.)

(“Yes, I imagine it would take many moons to travel from one to the other,” Farryn said.)

Farryn’s parents were believers in the goddess, of course, as much as any other Evurin or anyone in Eavothen or its territories where the goddess’s light had been brought. But they had never quite understood their daughter’s level of devotion, which seemed almost excessive to them. When Farryn declared her intention to become an apostle, they were wary. Training to become an apostle was difficult, and life as one was more difficult still. There were many other things Farryn could have done. Why not something else?

In the end, though, Farryn had won them over. She applied to become an apostle and was accepted as a disciple. After more than a year of hard training, studying, and special rites, she was, for the first time, made part of a mission: to trek through the mountains, ascend to the top of the Sky Render, and return with leaves from a tree that grew only on that peak.

(“Why leaves?” Sheila asked.)

(“Those particular leaves are very rare,” Farryn explained. “And used in special potions.”)

They were a week into their journey, but still had a long way to go. Journeying through the mountains meant traversing only during the day. Even with the use of torches or magical lights, hiking through the mountains at night was dangerous. There could be sudden unseen drops or something attacking them in the dark. Plus, the cold, which was biting but bearable during the day, turned utterly bitter at night, especially when the wind picked up.

As Farryn walked the perimeter of what would be their camp for the night, she spied something off in the distance. She blinked and squinted. There was a black opening in a hill that was perhaps a mile or so away. Interesting. She walked back into camp.

“Stina!” Farryn called.

A girl a year older than Farryn answered her summon. “What is it, Farryn?”

“Can I examine the map, please?”

“Here you are,” Stina said, pulling a rolled-up bit of parchment from her satchel and handing it to Farryn.

Farryn immediately unrolled it and studied the landmarks near where they were. “Hmmm, it’s just as I thought.”

“Is something wrong?”

“There’s a cave off in the distance,” Farryn said, pointing. “See it? But it’s not on our map, which means it was probably hidden until recently. Maybe the earthquake yesterday exposed it. I suggest we go and find out what’s in it.”

Stina glanced in the direction Farryn was pointing before turning back to her.

“That’s not on the path, Farryn,” Stina said, frowning.

Farryn resisted the urge to frown back at her. Stina was always so stern and serious, lacking any sense of curiosity or imagination. “Perhaps the path isn’t always as obvious as we think. I’ll lead a search expedition. The cave is unexpected and thus worth investigating.”

“I outrank you here,” Stina said. “Recall that you were not chosen as the leader for this mission. I was. So I will decide what’s ‘worth investigating.’”

Farryn bristled a little at that. She had been certain their teachers would choose her to lead the mission. She did well with her studies, and when it came to training, she was especially skilled at archery and scouting. She consistently received praise for her work with swords and spears. And she was as proficient as any of her peers when it came to the magic they had learned. Why shouldn’t she lead them on their pilgrimage into the mountains? Farryn was a natural choice. 

But instead, Stina had instead been chosen to lead, and Farryn was duty-bound to follow her orders.

“As the leader,” Farryn said. “You should still listen to the suggestions of your charges, right?”

“I am listening. And I know you like to poke your nose into every little thing you find, but that’s not our purpose out here.”

“It might be related to our purpose though,” Farryn insisted. “It’s relatively close to camp, after all. There could be rock trolls or ice spiders inside. Perhaps some bandits have taken it on as a hideout. Maybe it even leads down to one of the places where the fires of the ancients burn!”

Farryn had always been fascinated by the ancients or the old ones, as some folks called them. They had lived in Eavothen hundreds of years ago before they had all vanished for some reason, leaving only ruins and mysteries behind. Nobody knew exactly why, but it was known that they had practiced fantastic and extraordinary magic unseen in the world since. According to one tale, they had dug deep into the earth until they had found great fires that burned hotter than anything else in the world and had forged amazing things in them.

“That’s just a legend, Farryn. And even if it’s true, it’s not something any sensible person would go looking for.”

“Okay, so that’s probably not in the cave,” Farryn conceded. “But my other points stand. Besides, if nothing else, I’ll shoot a few bats and collect some cave mushrooms for meals.”

“I guess it would be nice to eat something different for a change.” Stina thought for a moment and then sighed. “Fine. You probably won’t stop badgering me about it anyway, and goddess knows I have other things to do besides stand here debating with you all day. Go and investigate the cave. But make it quick. I expect you back here by moonrise.”

“Understood, Stina. I won’t fail you.” She handed the map back over.

“See that you don’t.”

“I’ll go with her!” a boy’s voice behind them declared.

Farryn turned and smiled at the voice. It was Jonik, one of her dearest friends. Jonik was also a year older than her, but they had started their training as apostles at the same time. Farryn had known him since they were little. They had grown up together and were practically inseparable. How much had he overheard Farryn telling Stina? Well, if he wanted to come, then that was fine.

“No, Jonik,” Stina said. “You’re to remain here at camp. Farryn has volunteered for this, so she will undertake it alone.”

That was a little disappointing. Farryn would be fine on her own, of course, but she would have enjoyed Jonik’s company.

“I could-” Jonik began, but Stina cut him off.

“I said no. With Farryn off, I need all other hands to get our camp set up for the night.” She turned to Farryn. “Either get moving or stay here and work.”

“I’m off then,” Farryn said. “I’ll be back soon to deliver a full report of what’s in the cave, along with some other things as well, hopefully.” She grabbed her satchel and spear from where they were lying, threw her bow over her shoulder and headed off, her feet crunching in the show as she went.

She had only gone a little way when she heard footsteps behind her and someone calling her name. She turned and saw Jonik running after her. Had Stina allowed him to come after all? That was unexpected.

“Farryn!” Jonik called.

Farryn stopped and let him catch up to her. “Yes, Jonik?”

“I just wanted to say,” Jonik said. “That I don’t want anything to happen to you. So…be careful. Okay?”

His concern was touching. Farryn smiled up at him.

“You needn’t worry about me,” Farryn said. “Please help Stina while I’m gone.” She didn’t want Jonik to think she had been causing trouble or something.

“Sure. Goddess watch over you, Farryn.” Jonik bowed his head and tapped his chest twice.

Farryn returned the gesture. “And you, Jonik.” With that, she turned and headed off in the direction of the cave.

The cave entrance was fairly wide and tall and jagged, as if the rock hadn’t been rounded by the wind and rain. That lent credence to Farryn’s theory that it had formed recently. She made her way inside. It turned out to be pretty modest in size. Farryn only went back around twenty feet before she met a dead end. That was a little disappointing. There weren’t even any bats or mushrooms or anything at all for Farryn to collect. She was annoyed at the prospect of having to return to Stina empty-handed, but it looked like she wouldn’t have much choice.

As she turned to leave the cave, there was a sudden loud rumble, and the earth shook. The ground below Farryn collapsed, and she lost her footing, tumbling down a long, steep embankment. She tried to grab onto something, anything, but there was nothing for her to grab. Farryn yelled as she fell for all the good it did her.

As she landed at the bottom of the incline she had fallen down, the shaking stopped. Farryn looked up above her. There was no light. Had she fallen that far? Or had the earthquake collapsed the entrance to the cave? The first thing she needed was a way to see. With a flick of her wrist, a glowing orb of light appeared and hovered above her. She looked over herself. Her white cloak had some dirt stains on it, but she had no cuts or bruises or other injuries from her fall. She grabbed her spear from where it had landed, thankful it hadn’t been lost or broken in the fall.

Turning around, she looked up the direction she had fallen from. The shaft she had fallen down was steep and long, and even with her magic light, she couldn’t see the top. She tried climbing up it but slid down almost as quickly as she started. The surface was too slick, and there were no places to get any good handholds. She was stuck down here.

This was frightening, but she knew she had to remain calm. Panicking would do her little good, and the goddess would protect her. If there was no way out behind her, maybe there was a way out in front of her. She turned about and shined her light around the cavern she found herself in. At the far side of it was another opening that led into a tunnel. It was more than tall enough for her to walk through. She searched some more and found it was the only way out from where she was. With no other choice, she started down the tunnel.

She walked and walked and walked some more. She wasn’t sure for how long, but it was probably far past when she was due to report back to camp. It was hard to keep track of time in the darkness. The underground also seemed deserted. Farryn was a little relieved at that. The last thing she needed was stumbling upon some hostile creature and having to fight it on its own turf. At the same time, the silence was unnerving. The only thing she could hear was her footsteps as she continued.

She was going downward, she found. As the tunnel snaked its way through the mountain, it grew warmer and a little damp. She found mushrooms growing on the walls of the tunnel. They didn’t taste great, but they were plentiful and edible, so she figured she may as well eat them rather than deplete the rations she had in her pack. After all, she didn’t know how far she had to go. She collected more to take back with her to camp, confident that she would return. Stina would no doubt be annoyed with her for arriving back so late, but there were circumstances beyond Farryn’s control. Or would Farryn have been gone for so long that the group would have picked up and moved on? In that case, she would have to catch up with them, but she was confident she could do that too. She just had to find a way out first.

As she continued on, she realized she could the drip, drip, drip of water somewhere nearby. With no other way before her, she followed the sound to its source. Eventually, she found herself in what seemed to be a huge, open cavern. And she found where the dripping sounds she had heard came from.

It was an underground lake. And a large one, from what she could discern. Farryn knelt by the edge of the shore and peered down. As she shined her light over the water, she could see little fish swimming about in it. She could eat the fish if worse came to worse, she thought, but something about the lake made her uneasy. This was an old place; that much she was certain of. And there was some sort of magic power here. She could sense it.

It wasn’t the fabled fire of the ancients; that much was certain. Was this one of their places anyway? Or was it something else entirely?

She surveyed the large open area she was now in as best she could. She shined her light in a few different directions and thought she spotted a small structure a little ways off. Was it someone’s home? Well, there was only one way to find out. Stepping carefully so as to not fall in the lake (she had a feeling it was very deep and cold, and those were the least scary things about it), Farryn made her way along the shore and over to the strange structure so she could investigate it.

It was a stone archway, maybe about twice as tall as a person and several times as wide. Was it natural? Or had someone built it? But why would they do so down here? There were no symbols or anything carved into it. The surface was smooth in some parts and coarse in others. Farryn rested her hand against it, and it felt somewhat warmer than the rock walls of the tunnels. She also thought she heard a faint humming. Natural or man-made, this archway was definitely magic too.

She stepped around the archway, wary of walking directly under it. On the other side was a square stone slab that was maybe a table or an altar that was as high as Farryn’s chest. She walked around it, studying it. Like the altar, it was mostly smooth. There were no glyphs or symbols on it. She rested her hands on the altar’s surface, which was big enough to be a dinner table. And like the archway, it was warm and seemed to be humming.

Then Farryn noticed something on the side of the altar. It was a small indentation. She knelt and pressed her finger into it. It was just the right size. When she did, she heard a click and the sound of stone grinding against stone. A small compartment on the altar had opened. She shined her light inside of it.

Lying in the compartment that had opened was a book, an old one from the looks of it. Farryn reached in and grabbed it. It was lighter than she expected, but she set it on the altar all the same. She opened it and shined her light over it so that she could study its contents. She recognized the language of the old ones on its pages. Of course, she had no idea what anything in the book said. The ancients’ language was large and complex, and even the scholars who studied it for years understood only a tiny portion of it. And Farryn knew nothing except being able to recognize the language when she saw it.

This was a place the old ones had built. Or, at least, it was someplace they had used. The presence of the book confirmed that much. What had they been doing down here with this strange altar and archway? Was the lake part of it? Did they draw power from it? Or was it simply there? Farryn’s curiosity was piqued. She continued to flip through the book, despite not being able to read it. She thought it was nothing but page after page of unreadable text until she came upon something odd in the middle of the book.

In the top part of one page was a picture of what looked like the arch in front of the altar, but cruder. It really could have been almost any sort of arch or large door. It was as though someone had tried to draw the arch, but their ink had run out and the picture had gone blurry. Below the picture was an extremely complicated glyph. A different kind of ink had been used to draw it, one that made the glyph look layered and almost as though it was about to rise off the page and into the air. Unable to resist, Farryn pressed a finger to the glyph. It began to glow, and the picture above it began to move. She quickly pulled her hand away. Had that just really happened?

Farryn blinked. No, she hadn’t imagined it. The picture had changed. It now more closely resembled the stone archway, as if some artist was refining the sketch. Farryn pressed her finger back on the glyph, more firmly this time. The glow was stronger, and the picture continued to change until it was an exact drawing of the stone arch. This was interesting, but what was it for?

Farryn could hear some sort of humming, louder now. She looked up and saw that the space under the stone archway began to change – the air changed to a sort of mist of many different colors, with small flashes of lightning flickering in it. Then those colors swirled and coalesced into what looked like a window of sorts. It appeared almost solid, but Farryn felt that, if she wanted to, she could walk through it. What would happen then?

Stowing the book in her pack (no way would she leave that behind), Farryn stepped around the altar and toward the archway. She reached out with her hand toward the mist then pulled it back. Touching the mist, if that was truly what it was, would be dangerous. Instead, she tried poking it her spear. Just as she had suspected it would, the spear parted the mist easily.

But suddenly, the mist swirled around the part of the spear that had penetrated it and seemed to grab on. Before Farryn could react, she felt herself pulled through the archway with a jerk and into the strange mist. The cave vanished from sight. She was suddenly falling amid a vast expanse of clouds, and there was nothing below her but oblivion. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Thrown about by a sudden rush of winds, she blacked out.

When she came to and got up, she at first thought nothing had changed. She was still on the dirt floor of a dark cave. But then she realized that there was light coming from somewhere. She was near the outside! Had the portal sent her to safety? She got to her feet and ran to the exit, thankful to free of the dark and eager to find out where she was.

But in going outside the cave, Farryn found that she had no idea where she was. She was in a warm, shady forest – a far cry from the cold, icy mountain she had been trekking up. She explored the forest and found it much like any other, though there were signs in a strange language she didn’t recognize. But it was when she left its boundaries, that she realized that the portal had sent her someplace very far away. There were oddly shaped buildings everywhere. There were smooth, black roads over which great, loud beasts ran screaming.

(“Cars,” Sheila told Farryn. “People ride in them.”)

(“Scary things,” Farryn replied.)

Also, the night skies were wrong. None of the constellations Farryn recognized –the goddess’s eye, the river of the ancestors, the storm dragon – were present. The stars looked strange and unfamiliar to her. She wasn’t sure at all what to make of that.

But the scariest part was that Farryn found she couldn’t speak with anyone she met. They gave her strange looks and ran away from her when she tried to speak with them. Those who didn’t flee simply shook their heads at her. She tried the languages she knew – the native tongue of the Evurin, the southern tongue that she had learned from her teacher, even a few words in an eastern language she had picked from a book. But it was no use.

Farryn finally concluded that she had traveled far outside the borders of Eavothen. And as far as she could tell, there was no way back for her.


	4. Sheila Makes Her Choice

“And here I’ve been ever since,” Farryn said, as she leaned back and sighed. “Separated from everyone and everything I knew. I don’t even know if the goddess can hear me here.”

Sheila thought about what Farryn had told her. It sounded like something that could have happened in the other world. In a way, Farryn’s story mirrored what had happened to Sheila: an accident after which you were trapped in a strange place where you didn’t understand anything that was going on. Sheila had stumbled upon the unicorn riders – or rather, they had stumbled upon her – but it sounded like Farryn had been having as rough and confusing a time as Sheila had at first.

“I’m sorry,” Sheila said with sympathy. “It really has been hard on you.”

“If it’s a trial from the goddess, I do hope it’s over soon,” Farryn said.

“What have you been doing since you came here?” Sheila asked.

“I’ve been hiding out in the great wooded area where I first found myself. It's full of signs with pictures of a bear wearing a hat on them. Isn't that funny? Anyway, I’ve been using the cave I arrived in as a sort of base. And I’ve mostly been trying to work on a spell to get me back home, though I haven’t found any success yet. I’m not a master sorceress by any means. When I’m not doing that, I’ve been exploring as best I can, hunting for food and such. There’s game and plants and water in the forest, so at least I have sustenance.”

“And nobody notices you?”

“Oh, now and then.” Farryn shrugged. “I can hide easily enough though. I’ve come to know the woods very well. And the people who come through there are very loud.”

What ‘great wooded area’ was Farryn talking about? The only one nearby that came to mind that matched Farryn’s description was actually a national park. It was all heavy woods, and there were caves in it; that area led up into the hills and mountains. Sheila had visited there once in seventh grade on a school trip. Supposedly, it was haunted, but that probably didn’t bother Farryn. She was a warrior, after all. Just like Sheila had been.

“Right,” Sheila said. “So, one more thing. About what you said before, that you sensed the magic I performed and you followed it to me…what did you mean? Can you tell me about that?”

“Well,” Farryn said. “When I came here, I noticed that there wasn’t any magic in this world at all, except for my own. And I feel like it’s weaker here. Probably because the goddess’s light isn’t present. So when you…did whatever it was you did the other night, it was like a beacon lighting up in pitch-black darkness. It was brief, but I thought ‘Ah-ha! There’s some magic here after all.’ I figured that it might be a chance for me to find my way home or at least get some answers about where I am. So, I applied my teacher’s lessons about sensing magic and followed it as best I could. The full moon made it easier.”

Sheila hadn’t ever considered that someone in this world would notice her spell. Farryn was right – magic didn’t exist here, after all. It was something Sheila had brought with her, as Darian had put it in his last message to her.

“Of course, it took me a day or so to find you,” Farryn said, interrupting Sheila’s thoughts. “You seemed to move elsewhere during the day. That made it harder for me.”

“I went to school,” Sheila said.

“Magic school?”

“No, regular school,” Sheila said. “Like you said, there’s no magic here.”

“Again, except for you,” Farryn said, “And since you say that this is your world and where you’re from, I would very much like to hear how it is that you visited mine.”

“Well, that’s a long story too,” Sheila said. “But here goes.”

Sheila talked away the better part of an hour. She told Farryn everything, starting at the beginning. How Dr. Reit had first shown her the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device. How she had fallen into it and had encountered the Illyria the Unicorn Queen and her band of warriors. How she had fought against the tyrant Dynasian (Farryn clearly enjoyed that part, having heard of Dynasian’s tyranny) and returned home with Dr. Reit.

And finally, Sheila shared about how she had gone back a second time and had more run-ins with the evil wizard Mardock. And how, finally, on the journey to take the unicorns to Ryudain, that conflict had come to a head and she had cast a spell to protect herself and Dr. Reit from his dark magic and had somehow sent them both back home instead. She didn’t relay every last detail with Farryn (a lot had happened, after all), but she did make sure to include almost everything she thought was important.

It felt good to share all that with someone, especially someone she knew would believe her. And Farryn was as enthralled with Sheila’s story as Sheila had been with hers.

_We’re like adventurers in a fantasy tale swapping stories over drinks. Except, what happened to us was no story._

“When I got back the other night,” Sheila said. “I tried to see if I could summon Illyria magically, just to speak with her. And I heard her voice. And her brother Darian’s too. And they heard me. I told Dr. Reit about it, but he didn’t have any explanation.”

“You performed a spell,” Farryn said. She smiled at Sheila. “In the light of the full moon, which made it stronger. The moonlight is a blessing from the goddess, you know. And finally, you’re obviously a skilled sorceress. You learned well from your teachers.”

“I’m not any kind of sorceress,” Sheila said, shaking her head. “I only picked up a little magic while I was in your world. I was surprised it worked over here.”

“But you do have magic,” Farryn insisted. “That much is obvious. I can sense it. And in addition to that, you know about that science magic that your teacher Dr. Reit used to create a doorway between worlds.”

“Uh, I don’t know as much as you think,” Sheila said. This girl was getting the wrong idea very quickly. “Dr. Reit built the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device, not me. I just happened to be the first to test it out, and it wasn’t by choice.”

“Well, then can you take me to the sorcerer Dr. Reit? Do you think he could open the doorway and send me home?” Farryn asked hopefully.

Sheila shook her head sadly. “He decided the device was too dangerous and dismantled it completely. There’s no going back that way. Besides, he’s left town for a while to visit his nephew.”

She decided to leave out the rest of her last conversation with Dr. Reit. It was possible that he might rebuild the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device simply to send Farryn home, but then, there was a chance he wouldn’t. He might even think it was a ploy of Sheila’s to convince him to send her back instead. Just thinking about it reignited Sheila’s frustration. Why hadn’t he understood how badly she had wanted to return? How much it had hurt to leave without saying good-bye? How much she missed everyone there?

Farryn sighed. “It was worth a try. I guess I’m still stuck here for now.”

“Well, you’re welcome to stay with me,” Sheila offered. She liked Farryn so far and knew her situation was difficult. “I don’t know exactly how, but we’ll work things out some way or another.” Farryn couldn’t go on staying in that cave in the park. Eventually, the authorities would pick her up. Then there’d be real trouble.

“Perhaps I am not out of reach of the goddess’s blessings after all, since I have found a person such as you, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said, smiling warmly at her. “Thank you.”

Sheila tried to imagine introducing Farryn to her parents and Cookie. They’d find Farryn bizarre, and Sheila would have to interpret for her (or somehow teach her English). And everyone would think Sheila was crazy if she explained where exactly Farryn had come from. Dr. Reit would have believed her, of course, but she didn’t know when he’d be back. Would Farryn have to stay with him? That was an idea. Maybe she could hide out at his house until he returned.

“I wish I knew when Dr. Reit will come back,” Sheila said out loud. Despite her frustration at him, she knew he’d be able to help somehow.

“You don’t have any magic with which to contact him?” Farryn asked.

“If I had a phone number, I’d call him, but I don’t,” Sheila said, shaking her head.

“Phone…number?”

“It’s something you use when you want to talk to someone not close by, and…wait! I can show you!” Sheila got up and beckoned Farryn over to the phone that hung on the kitchen wall.

Farryn joined her, studied the phone curiously, and then turned to Sheila. “Is that a phone number?”

“No, it’s just a phone. Let me show you.” Sheila dialed the number for the time then held the phone up to Farryn’s ear. The automated operator on the line announced the time, and Farryn blinked.

“Wow!” Farryn said. “There’s a person inside this thing who’s talking!”

“It’s just transmitting the sound,” Sheila said.

“Your world has so many strange and fantastic things,” Farryn said. “One positive aspect of this trip is that I’ve had a chance to see them.”

“Yours has some pretty incredible things too,” Sheila said. “Unicorns, for one.”

“Unicorns are marvelous creatures,” Farryn said. “Blessed by the goddess, it’s said.”

_Farryn must be a pretty strong believer in this goddess of hers. She sure mentions her a lot. _

“They’re definitely blessed,” Sheila said. “And that book, I’d have never expected something like that to exist.”

“You know, the book still seems to do…something,” Farryn said.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, if you touch the glyph on the page with the arch, it will change a little. You can feel that the book is channeling some sort of magic, but nothing else happens.”

“Really?” Sheila was now intrigued. This seemed very different from the magic she had learned from Micula, magic that came entirely from within. What would Micula make of this strange book?

“Try it,” Farryn said as they sat back down at the table. “Touch your finger to the symbol below the picture.”

Sheila pulled the old book toward her and did just that. As her finger pressed against the symbol, the picture began to blur. The hairs on her arm rose, and Sheila thought she could hear some faint, faraway humming, just like Farryn had described. When she took her finger away, the picture slowly changed back to the archway from Farryn’s story and the humming ceased.

“I guess it doesn’t do anything because the archway isn’t nearby,” Farryn said.

“That would make sense,” Sheila said, though she had no idea. Micula would probably be able to answer any questions about the strange book, but, of course, she wasn’t available. Still, it was incredible that here some was something else magic that was in her world. Of course, it hadn’t actually come from Earth – like the magic Sheila had used the other night, it was brought over by someone. Sheila briefly wondered if there was some kind of scientific explanation for all this. Dr. Reit would no doubt be fascinated by it.

“I wonder what happened to the old ones who used the archway,” Farryn said, interrupting Sheila’s thoughts. “Do you think they came here?”

Sheila shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe they decided the book was too dangerous to keep using, just like Dr. Reit with the transport device.”

“If that’s true, then it’s odd that they left book near the archway since the book activated the portal.” Farryn continued to chatter on. “I can’t help but wonder about the magic and crafting that was required to put all that together. Is it unique, or did the ancients make more of these that go to other places? I wonder if there are other gateways the book can open. And did the ancients really destroy themselves, or did they all go through one of these gateways and vanish from the world forever that way? Maybe those amount to the same thing.”

Sheila looked at her with a start. Something in Farryn’s rambling had given her a sudden idea. “Other…gateways?”

“Yes,” Farryn said, nodding. “If there are others, I will search for them if I ever return home. Only, this time, I’ll be a little more careful around them.”

Searching for gateways over in the world might have helped Sheila when she was stuck over there. But that was beside the point.

_What if…?_

“I wonder,” Sheila said slowly. “What would happen if we tried to use your book with the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device?”

“That…thing your teacher Dr. Reit created?”

“Yes. I know, it’s not the same as the archway you described…but it was a door that opened to another world.”

“Do you think the book would really work with your science magic?”

“I don’t know,” Sheila said. “All that’s left is…well, I don’t know exactly what the part is called, but it looks like a large door frame. And that’s where Dr. Reit opened a way to other worlds, kind of like the archway you found.”

“It sounds like it would be worth an attempt though,” Farryn said, her voice rising with excitement. “When can we go try it out?”

It was a crazy idea, but the worst consequence that Sheila could think of was that nothing would happen all. Besides, taking Farryn to Dr. Reit’s house would provide a place for her to stay temporarily so that she didn’t get into any trouble. Hopefully, there would be a way to warn him before he came back and found a stranger in his house. Maybe she could find a phone number for his nephew in his house and call him.

On the other hand, none of that would a problem at all, if the book actually worked…

_And I could go back._

What if she returned with Farryn? Well, she’d probably no longer be stuck between two worlds. She’d potentially be in the other world permanently – there was no guarantee Farryn’s book would work again on the other side. Dr. Reit could rebuild the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device, but there was no certainty that would be a way back either. He had said as much himself. And before that, he’d have to return home and find out she was gone first.

“Sheila?” Farryn asked, interrupting her thoughts again. “Are you trying to figure out how we might accomplish this? Is it very complicated?”

“A little,” Sheila said. “I’m also trying to figure out what I’ll do if it does work.”

“What do you mean?”

Whether or not I’d go back too.”

“This is your world, as I understand it, but do you wish to travel from it again as you did before?”

“Earlier this afternoon, I’d have done anything to return,” Sheila said. “Now that there’s a chance for me to do just that…well, suddenly I don’t know what I should do.” For Farryn, the decision was obvious. She didn’t belong in this world at all. But for Sheila…

“What would you do in my position?” Sheila asked Farryn, not sure what to think.

“Me? I’d pray to the goddess for guidance and find my path that way.”

That answer didn’t help Sheila at all. “I have no idea who to ask for any kind of guidance. I know what Dr. Reit would say. He’d be outright against me going back. I can’t go to my parents or my best friend about this. They’d never understand or even believe me when I tell them what happened. And I don’t know of any gods or goddesses I can pray to who might actually answer.”

“Well, what does your heart tell you?” Farryn asked.

Only a few hours ago, Sheila would have been able to answer with absolute certainty that she needed to go back. Now, when suddenly presented with a potential way to go back, she felt like she was pulled in different directions again, just like she had when she’d been in the other world.

She’d always be a foreigner there, but she’d have a place with Illyria and her riders. The Unicorn Queen would no doubt welcome her back, and the other riders would be glad to have her with them for good (well, except for maybe Dian, but even she might be pleased). And Sheila wouldn’t have to leave any of them again. She recalled Darian had said to her when she had first returned, how he had missed her and how sad he felt when she left.

Thinking about Darian triggered something in her. Yes, she decided. She would go back. She’d be giving up her home and her family and friends here, but…there was a lot for her on the other side. And if she stayed here, she’d spend the rest of her life wondering what could have happened if she returned. The feelings as sadness and loss and emptiness of the past two days…well, she didn’t want to keep having those forever.

Sheila looked at Farryn and nodded.

“I think, if there’s a chance, I need to go back with you,” Sheila said.

“Then I’d welcome your company, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said, smiling. “I’d love to show you Eavothen. It’s a marvelous city, and the countryside surrounding it is some of the most beautiful in the world.”

“That does sound nice,” Sheila said. “But I think I’d want to go to Campora.” She thought again of Darian. Of course, there were others in Campora she wanted to see too.

“Ah yes,” Farryn said. “Well, shall we head off, then?”

“No, I’ll need to pack some things first,” Sheila said. “And I’ll also need to….”

“Need to what?” Farryn asked.

“Figure out a way to say good-bye,” Sheila said with some sadness.


	5. Opening a Doorway

Sheila had often wondered what her fellow unicorn riders would have thought of her bedroom. Farryn, of course, wasn’t a rider but was intrigued by everything in it all the same. Sheila had led Farryn upstairs so that she could pack up some things before they left for Dr. Reit’s house, and Farryn, in turn, had taken to closely studying and touching every little thing in Sheila’s room, from the posters on the wall to the radio on her dresser.

_It’s a little bit of an invasion of privacy, but it’s understandable. Everything here is strange and unfamiliar to her._

Still, Sheila wouldn’t be able to pack her things and get ready for a potential trip to another world with Farryn underfoot and Sheila bumping into her. She asked Farryn to sit down and then retrieved something that would hopefully keep her entertained for a little while.

“Here,” Sheila said, handing her tape player to Farryn, who had seated herself on the end of Sheila’s bed. “Maybe you’ll like this.”

Farryn turned the tape player over, examining every side of it. “What is it? What does it do?”

“It plays music.” Sheila pressed the play button, and U2’s music started.

Farryn’s eyes widened. “Amazing! Is that magic?”

“It’s technology,” Sheila said, grinning.

“It’s miraculous, whatever it is. Nobody at home will ever believe me when I tell them of the things I’ve seen here.”

Sheila nodded. “Nobody over here would ever believe me about unicorns and magic.”

“If only more could experience what we have,” Farryn said. “Anyway, you have a fascinating tune here, Sheila McCarthy. I’m a bit envious, as the goddess didn’t bless me with any kind of singing ability. Is this music your own?”

“No, it’s just a tape playing a band’s music and…never mind. It would take too long to explain. Just listen to it while I pack and take care of some things.”

“Of course.” Farryn continued to smile as Bono sang ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.’

_That’s a fitting song for the past few days._

Before Sheila packed anything, she figured she had a few letters to write. She couldn’t leave everyone without any word of where she had gone. She sat down at her desk and pulled some paper out from the top drawer. With a pen in her hand, she began writing.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I don’t know quite how to say this, but I have to leave. I’m going far, far away. You may or may not believe me, but I’m going to another world, one parallel to our own. I’ve been there before. It’s a world of magic and unicorns. And it’s where I’ve decided that I truly belong. It has nothing to do with the two of you; it’s simply where I’ve decided I should be. _

_I don’t know when I’ll be back. It’s very likely that I’ll never return. But I’ll be safe, don’t you worry. I’ll have a place to live there. I’ll be among friends, people who care about me. _

_I will be thinking of you two lots. And if there’s any way I ever I can, I will visit you. Things may have changed for you two greatly by then because time doesn’t work the same way across the two worlds. But I’ll never forget you._

_Be safe and take care of yourselves._

_Love always,_

_Sheila_

Would that be enough? Her parents would surely wonder and worry, regardless of what she wrote. But she felt like she to leave them something. Just vanishing without any word would have made it even worse for them. They’d be shocked and assumed she had run away, which, technically she was doing. She decided not to mention Dr. Reit to her parents. Sure, he would be able to verify everything Sheila had told them, but there was a strong possibility that they wouldn’t believe him and that might lead to bad trouble.

Sheila placed the letter on her desk. If something happened and they weren’t able to use the book as Sheila had planned, she would be able to be back in time and tear up the letter before they found it. But hopefully, things would go as planned.

She had two more letters to write.

_Dear Dr. Reit,_

_I think I’ve found a way to return to Campora. I remember what you said about it being safer for both of us to remain in this world, but I know this is the path I need to take for my life. I am grateful for everything that you taught me and for introducing me to such a wondrous place._

_I will miss you. Good luck with all your experiments and take care of Einstein for me._

_Your friend always,_

_Sheila McCarthy_

Would Dr. Reit rebuild the machine and come searching for her? Sheila thought about how he had suggested it would be dicey for him to find that world again. Was that truly the case, or had he simply been stretching the truth for Sheila's safety? If he did show up when she was back over there, what would happen? Would he persuade her to try to return?

Too many hypotheticals, Sheila decided. That matter was best left for if and when it actually happened.

Sheila decided she had one more letter to write out, this one to Cookie. She told Cookie basically what she had told her parents, though she couldn’t resist adding a bit about Darian. She hoped Cookie would at least appreciate that bit. She apologized to Cookie for missing her play. When she was finished, she went back to Dr. Reit’s letter and added a post-script asking him to pass on Cookie’s letter to her when he could.

Would Cookie or her parents believe what Sheila had written? Who knew? But if nothing else, Sheila had left them the truth and wouldn’t simply vanish without any explanation. She placed the letters into separate envelopes and sealed them. She left the one for her parents on her desk and placed the other two in her bag.

With the good-bye letters written, it was time to pack, and Sheila knew she couldn’t embark on any trip without her trusty backpack. She collected various items from her room to take with her. She knew she couldn’t pack too much – Illyria had always impressed upon her that a warrior traveled light.

But there were a few things that were absolute necessities. She grabbed some hairpins. Those were always handy and took up barely any room at all. Her hair had grown so much in what seemed like a short amount of time. She packed a change of clothes (including the ivory wool tunic that the wizard Mardock had created), just in case, as well as a scarf and a few other things that she either thought were important or that she’d need. Some of those things she knew would be useful, like her lighter and flashlight and some extra batteries. Fortunately, she still had several useful tools in her backpack from her last trip through.

She had almost everything she was going to take with her.

There was one last thing, however, something very important she hadn’t taken with her on previous trips. Sheila opened her closet and grabbed a box of old photos sitting on the shelf. She pulled a few out to take with her – pictures of her parents, of Cookie, and Dr. Reit. She looked at them fondly and then tucked them carefully into her backpack. If she was going to leave, well, she wanted something she could remember them by. She didn’t want to forget what they looked like. And if Darian or Illyria or anyone else ever asked, she could them what her parents looked like.

Would Sheila ever see her room again? Or anything in this world for that matter? No, probably not. This modern world of machines and telephones and computers and would be nothing more than a memory to her. If this worked, then she’d never again watch TV, catch a movie at the theater, or go shopping at the mall on the weekend. And she would never get her driver’s license or go to college.

For an instant, she wanted to stop and tell Farryn she had changed her mind. It wasn’t too late.

She shook her head. No. She had to stop overthinking like that and second-guessing herself. This was the right decision. She was simply following her heart.

By the time they left the McCarthy house, it was late afternoon. Sheila’s parents still weren’t home, so there would be no opportunity to say good-bye in person, but maybe that was for the best. She took one last look at the house, trying to burn its image into her memory. She didn’t have any pictures of it in her backpack (and she had lost her Polaroid camera), so this would be the only way she’d remember it.

Farryn waited patiently as she did. When Sheila was done, they set off down Cardinal Street.

“It was harrowing making the trip over to find you,” Farryn remarked as a car drove by them. “Aside from those things…those ‘cars’…I kept hearing loud screaming birds in the air. I saw them occasionally, larger and moving faster than anything else can fly. I thought maybe they were rocs or wyverns at first, but not even wyverns are that loud.”

“Planes,” Sheila said. “Or helicopters. Maybe both.”

“Horrid things,” Farryn said. “And the people constantly gave me funny looks! Is it because I’m not dressed like them? Have they never seen a foreigner before?”

“Not one like you they haven’t,” Sheila said. They had probably thought Farryn was an early Halloween trick-or-treater, similar to what Sheila had first thought. Or just a crazy girl in odd clothes who babbled in a weird language.

“Humph,” Farryn said. “Well, perhaps that won’t matter soon.”

There was a convenience store along the way that Sheila decided they could stop at quickly. Farryn, amused by the selection of snacks, asked Sheila if it was possible to buy a bunch so that she could ‘try more of this world’s food before she left.’ Sheila figured her pocket money would be no good in the other world, so she bought Farryn some crackers, cookies, chips, and candy bars, along with some more cola. Farryn was elated and promised to pay Sheila back tenfold, though Sheila told her not to worry about it.

“I should have gotten the recipe for this,” Farryn said, eating a slice of pizza Sheila had bought her as well.

Convenience store pizza had never really appealed to Sheila (it was too greasy), but Farryn seemed to love it. There was the possibility she’d stain her white clothes with pizza sauce, but they seemed to have a lot of dirt and other stains on them anyway.

“I wonder if anyone could make it back in Eavothen would be able to make this kind of food,” Farryn continued. “I’ve never had anything like it.”

Sheila pictured her fellow unicorn riders huddled around a pizza box and chuckled to herself. There was no takeout in Campora; maybe she should have gotten some pizza as a last hurrah on Earth. Then again, maybe not. Her stomach already felt twisted enough from nerves without her making it worse from eating junk food.

* * *

“What a gorgeous building,” Farryn had said when the two girls arrived at Dr. Reit’s large Victorian-style home at the top of Mockingbird Hill. Sheila agreed. There was something about the old architecture that gave it a charming, classic sort of beauty.

“Dr. Reit inherited it,” Sheila explained to her. “I love spending time here while he’s working on things.”

“He sounds like an interesting man. I wish there was an easy way to travel between worlds so that I could do it often and take in more of its wonders and meet more people here.”

“You and me both,” Sheila said, her decision still weighing on her. This was what she wanted, of course, but she still couldn’t helping being nervous. This would change the entire course of her life. It was the right one, she reminded herself yet again, but still scary.

Dr. Reit had locked his back door this time. He had probably originally done that before dismantling the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device out of fear that Sheila would sneak back in and try to use it yet again – which, to be fair, was exactly what Sheila was doing, just not in the way he might have expected her to. At any rate, the locked door wasn’t an obstacle; Sheila knew where he kept his spare key. Sure enough, there it was under a loose brick on his patio. She unlocked the house and let Farryn and herself inside.

Farryn’s eagerness to try and open the portal didn’t stop her from examining every little thing in Dr. Reit’s house too. Sheila could sympathize with that. Even most people from Earth would have been fascinated by all the different gadgets and sci-fi decorations in Dr. Reit’s house. Sheila considered playing the “Star Wars” doorbell for Farryn but figured that reference would have been lost on her. Besides, they had something more important to do.

After locking the door again, Sheila made her way down the hallway to Dr. Reit’s laboratory. It was strange being in this house with everything so still. Usually, Dr. Reit would be bustling about and his cat Einstein would be underfoot. Now, Sheila felt like an intruder, which she was technically was. Inside the messy laboratory, Sheila pulled the tarp off the frame of the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device. Farryn examined it with interest and ran her hand along the metal.

“So this is science magic, is it?” she asked. “It only looks like an empty door frame or window. Of course, the archway under the mountain looked like nothing more than an empty archway.”

“This is only part of it,” Sheila explained. “The part where the portal appears.” She gestured toward the pile of machine parts. “That’s the rest of it.”

“It looks broken,” Farryn said. “Dashed to pieces.”

“It is broken,” Sheila said. “Dr. Reit took it apart. But with your book, maybe we can get it working again.”

“Alright.” Farryn took the book out of her satchel and flipped through it.

“So, assuming this works, how do we make sure it goes to the place we want it to go?” Sheila wondered out loud.

Farryn looked over at her. “I do not know, Sheila McCarthy. I knew nothing about this sort of magic to begin with, nor do I know anything about your science magic.”

“Well, go ahead and give it a shot,” Sheila said. “After all, that’s what we came here for.”

Farryn set the book down on Dr. Reit’s workbench, flipped it open to the relevant page, and pressed her finger to the glyph. The glyph started to glow, and the picture started to change. At first, it seemed like nothing was going to happen…then a strange bit of blue mist appeared in the door frame. Sheila was stunned. This was real magic, just like she had done, working on Earth. Farryn continued to touch the glyph, but nothing else happened to the blue mist. The bit that filled only a portion of the doorway, not nearly enough that Sheila would try venturing through it.

“I wonder what’s wrong,” Farryn said. “It didn’t take this long with the stone archway under the mountain.”

“It’s like it’s trying to make a gateway,” Sheila said. “But it can’t.” Maybe it really wouldn’t work after all. That was disappointing.

“Perhaps it needs more magic,” Farryn suggested. “You’ve power of your own, Sheila McCarthy. Try pressing your finger to it as well.”

It was worth a shot. Sheila touched her finger alongside Farryn’s against the glyph on the page. As she did, she could suddenly feel the book’s power. She was reminded of the time she had summoned Micula to battle the evil wizard Mordack, though the power here wasn’t quite the same. It felt old, somehow, but still incredibly powerful.

The glyph in the book began to glow even brighter. The picture above it slowly changed until it resembled the frame of the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device, which seemed to start humming. The strange splash of purple reappeared in the doorway and grew until it filled it up entirely, just as it had before Sheila’s two trips. Sheila took her finger from the book’s page and a little closer to the portal.

_Amazing. It’s so crazy that this would work. But then, I guess with magic, some of the laws of science and time and space get tossed out the window. And magic doesn’t even seem to follow its own rules sometimes._

“It looks like we did it!” Farryn exclaimed, echoing Sheila’s thoughts. She snapped the book closed and hugged Sheila.

“So we did,” Sheila said, still staring at the portal they had created. Why had the book worked with this thing? Because it had recently opened a doorway to another world, which was clearly what the book was for? Was there some kind of weird residual leftover from when Dr. Reit had opened a space-time portal?

Those questions, however, were secondary to the more important ones: Did this portal go to the world they wanted to go to? And how could they be sure of that?

Those questions didn’t seem to bother Farryn. She stepped closer to the portal and turned to Sheila. “Well, ready to try it out? I am most assuredly ready to leave. I’ll go first if you’re nervous.”

Sheila almost pulled Farryn back away from the portal. This really was dangerous. Instead, she simply said: “No, we probably ought to go through together so that we don’t get separated.”

“Alright. Would you please hold on the book, then?” Sheila at first didn’t see why until she took it and Farryn held out her free hand, the one that wasn’t clutching her spear. “Here, take my hand, Sheila McCarthy.”

Sheila paused and hesitated. Here was her last chance to back out. No. She couldn’t. This was what she wanted though. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves then grabbed Farryn’s hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Here goes nothing,” Sheila said quietly, taking another deep breath and stepping through the portal with Farryn. 

She immediately found herself tumbling over and falling amidst a vast expanse of clouds and emptiness. She tried her best to hold on to Farryn’s hand, but somehow lost her grasp on it and saw Farryn slip away from her. Before she could even panic, she fell unconscious.


	6. Lost Somewhere

“Ugh.”

Sheila was lying face down on the ground. There was grass and soft dirt under her, and above her, it was very bright. They weren’t in Dr. Reit’s laboratory anymore. She could feel a gentle breeze blowing through her hair and rustling the grass. Shaking her head to clear it, she got to her feet, dusted herself off, and looked around. She was in a field full of tall grass and wildflowers. In the distance in one direction, she could see a large forest. In another, she could see a tall mountain peak. Nearby, a brook babbled merrily. She was definitely…somewhere else. Was it Earth? Was it the other world she had visited before? Or someplace else entirely? Had she landed on yet another different world? And where was Farryn?

“Sheila McCarthy!” a voice called. Sheila looked up and saw Farryn running toward her.

“Farryn!” Sheila called back, waving. She felt relieved. At least one thing had gone right.

“I’m glad I found you!” Farryn said after she had caught up to her. “I was at first worried we had ended up in completely separate places.”

Sheila remembered Dr. Reit’s words about the teleportation process having a certain amount of noise to it and the sorceress Micula’s warning about magic being unpredictable. She guessed she and Farryn were fortunate to have ‘landed’ so close one another, given what they had tried.

“Did we travel to the right place?” Sheila asked. Nothing around her looked familiar, but then, the world of the unicorn queen had so much wilderness in it.

Farryn closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. “I can’t say for certain, but I think so. It feels more like the land I once knew.”

Sheila tried closing her eyes as Farryn did. She didn’t really notice anything different. She thought about grounding herself as she had learned from Micula until Farryn spoke up.

“That idea of yours was very clever, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said. “I would’ve never thought to use the old ones’ book as you did.”

“Thanks. Speaking of which, you can have it back,” Sheila said, handing it over for Farryn to place back in her satchel. “Glad it didn’t get damaged in the trip over here. Of course, I’m even happier that neither of us got damaged in the trip over here either.”

“As am I,” Farryn said. “The goddess was watching over us. Was your experience similar to the first time you went through the portal? Mine was.”

“A little,” Sheila said. “I ended up on a plain the first time too. Luckily, I stumbled across the unicorn riders. Or, I guess, they stumbled across me.”

“Either way, the goddess blessed you.”

“I guess.” Sheila shrugged. “So, we made it, but we have no idea where we are. Which direction should we go?”

“Let’s see,” Farryn said, digging into her satchel. She pulled out what looked like a small stone. Sheila looked closer and saw that the stone was clear and that there was a little needle inside it that spun around. She recognized immediately what it was.

“Hey, that’s a compass,” Sheila said.

Farryn titled her head. “Compass?”

“We have something like it in my world,” Sheila said. “And it tells you the direction with the way it points.”

“Oh,” Farryn said, turning the compass in her hand. “Yes, it does exactly that. We call it a direction stone. So, you know of such magic?”

“It’s not magic,” Sheila said. She remembered both her school lessons and things Dr. Reit had told her. “It’s science. It works because the needle automatically aligns itself with the planet’s magnetic field and is then pulled toward…uh, never mind.” Sheila stopped, noticing the blank look on Farryn’s face.

“Regardless,” Farryn said. “That way is north.” She pointed toward the forest in the distance. “Perhaps that’s the best way to head.”

Sheila suspected Farryn thought that because her own country was in the north, but decided that was as good a way as any. Hopefully, they’d come upon other people sometime soon and get a sense of where they were. Sheila looked over at Farryn, expecting her to take the lead, but Farryn dropped to her knees, clasped her hands together in front of her with her eyes closed and her head bowed.

“Uh, Farryn?” Sheila asked uncertainly.

Farryn didn’t reply at first. Finally, after a moment, she stood back up and looked at Sheila. “I was praying to the goddess, thanking her for bringing us safely here and asking her to watch over us on the road ahead and shine her light to illuminate our path so that we find those dear to us again.”

Sheila hoped Farryn’s goddess was listening. “Oh. That’s good, then.”

“It is. Well, it appears to be morning, the hour of the rabbit, that is,” Farryn said, briefly looking up into the sky. “The day’s still young. We had best start moving. If we stand around here talking, yon mountain will crumble before either of us sees home again.” She straightened herself up and started walking.

“I guess there’s no way to get to anywhere unless we use our feet,” Sheila said, following after her. It might turn out to be a very long walk, but that was better than loitering around wherever they were.

And so, off they set, trekking through the unknown wilderness. Sheila felt relieved that she wasn’t alone this time. That made the situation far less scary than her first trip through the portal. She just wished she knew how much time had passed in this world if it truly was the world of the unicorn queen. She recalled what Dr. Reit had said about the world potentially being very different. What if so much time had passed that Darian had forgotten about her and moved on?

_I can’t focus on those sorts of what-ifs. I made my choice. This place is where I am right now, for better or for worse. And there are other things to worry about at the moment anyway, like the fact that we’re alone and, from the looks of it, far, far away from any civilization._

“We better be careful,” Sheila said, as they neared the forest. “There are probably a lot of wild animals in there. Wolves and bears and so on.”

“It’s good we have arms then,” Farryn said. “Why don’t you carry one of my weapons? You said you’ve been trained as a warrior, right? Are you best with a sword, a spear, or a bow?”

“I’ve trained with all three,” Sheila said. “But I’m most confident with a sword.”

“Here, then,” Farryn said, pulling her sword off her belt and handing it to Sheila. “I’ll keep my spear and bow, and we should hopefully be prepared for anyone or anything we come across.”

Sheila attached the sword to her belt then pulled it from its sheath to try it out. She gave it a few quick practice swings and was glad that it felt as natural in her hands as ever. She could wield this, even if it wasn’t the sword she was used to. She looked a little closer at it. It was a basic double-edged sword, probably small for Farryn, but given the difference in their heights, it felt like the right size for Sheila. It was also nice to carry a sword again. She wondered what had happened to her old one. The last time she had seen it, it had been lying on the ground at the camp in Ryudain.

The forest was thick with growth, but shafts of sunlight still broke through. Parts of the forest floor were covered in old leaves that had fallen from moss-covered trees. Some of the trees had fallen over, but it was clear that it wasn’t from people cutting them down. There were birds and bugs and occasionally squirrels, but not much else. After half an hour of walking, they crossed a stream and came upon some tiny footprints in the dirt. Farryn knelt to study them.

“There’s no trace of people,” Farryn said. “These are deer tracks or the tracks of something very much like deer anyway.”

Sheila had pretty much no experience hunting and tracking. In Illyria’s band, Kara and Zanara-Ki had been the ones skilled at those sorts of things. Since Farryn seemed to know what she was doing, Sheila would just have to take her word for it. “Okay, so there are deer here. Anything else?”

“They weren’t running from predators,” Farryn said. “Just ambling, probably eating the shrubbery as they went. There were three of them, a doe and two fawns.”

“Well, that’s good to know,” Sheila said, though she didn’t see how that helped them.

“Right,” Farryn said. “We haven’t seen any signs of bears or wolves or anything else large with sharp claws. Now, that doesn’t mean they aren’t here, of course. But maybe we can avoid them altogether.”

“I think I’d prefer that option. Still, we probably want to be through this forest as quickly as possible, right?”

“I think we should be fine for now,” Farryn said, continuing on. Despite her earlier stated lack of singing skills, she started belting out a tune as they crossed another small stream. Farryn hadn’t been lying about her singing ability; she sounded like a dying bird. Sheila thought she was singing something in her own northern language until she realized that she recognized the melody.

“That’s U2,” Sheila said, laughing. “And you’re butchering it.”

“That music is about meat?” Farryn asked. “I just remember it from listening to your magic box. I particularly liked that part, it feels so emotional. I didn’t know it was about something so mundane.”

“No,” Sheila said, pushing a branch out of the way. “It’s not about meat. ‘Butchering it’ means…well, that you’re singing it badly.”

“Ah, I see,” Farryn said. “Have I offended you by doing so? Is that music sacred to you? I apologize.”

“No, no,” Sheila said. “I just thought it was funny, that’s all.”

Farryn went from singing U2 to simply humming the tune as they continued on through the woods. Sheila was reminded of the times she had gone hiking with her parents and on class trips but was more strongly reminded of the last trek she had undertaken in Ryudain before she had been flung back to Earth. She and Darian had made that hike side-by-side only speaking to each other a little. Too much had been left unsaid. If Sheila found him again, she wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

“Wait,” Farryn suddenly said. She put out a hand, stopping Sheila in her tracks.

Sheila halted. She was about to ask what was wrong when Farryn quickly drew an arrow from her quiver and fired it from her bow. Sheila looked to where she had shot it and saw a little grey rabbit lying on the ground a little ways away with Farryn’s arrow sticking out of its neck.

“Something to eat later,” Farryn said as she retrieved the rabbit corpse and her arrow. “We have some rations from your world remaining, but we’re going to have to do something for food since we have no idea how long it is before we’ll find other people.”

“Nice shot,” Sheila said. Farryn seemed almost as good as Kara, the retired unicorn rider who had once been the archer of Illyria’s band. After Farryn had collected her kill, they moved on.

* * *

They walked for the rest of the day, stopping only for a brief break now and then. They saw some animals – more rabbits, deer, birds, and a few little reptiles – but they didn’t encounter anything dangerous. At one point, they saw what looked like a giant hare with antlers that Farryn said was a jackalope. Its presence made Sheila certain they weren’t still on Earth; that wasn’t any sort of animal she had ever heard of. As night began to fall and the stars began to come out, Farryn suddenly stopped again and looked up into the sky.

“Look there,” Farryn said. “We’re definitely in the world I come from and the one you visited. Thank the goddess.”

“You can tell?” Sheila asked. She glanced up and immediately saw what Farryn meant. The night sky wasn’t the one from Earth with all the different constellations Dr. Reit had taught her. Instead, it was the strange, alien one with unfamiliar patterns. “Ah, I see what you mean.”

“Yes,” Farryn answered. “See that bright star there? That’s the goddess’s eye. It’s the one to follow when you’re lost. And that cluster there, that’s the unicorn’s horn.”

“The unicorn’s horn…” Sheila mused. If they were in the right world, then maybe she would see the unicorns again. Illyria had said they were fine. Had they returned to the wild permanently or gone back to the riders after their magic had been refreshed? And what of her unicorn, Morning Star? Sheila wished she knew.

“However,” Farryn said. “That doesn’t tell us where exactly we are. We could be almost anywhere.”

Farryn’s revelation was both a relief and a little disconcerting. They had indeed come to the right world…but perhaps not exactly to the right place in that world. Sheila thought back to the time she had glimpsed the maps Prince Laric and his men had made while flying around as eagles. The world was huge. What were the chances that anyone would stumble on them or vice-versa?

They ended up stopping in a little grove for the night. They could have kept going a little longer, but Sheila knew they couldn’t get worn out too quickly since they had no way of knowing when they’d find a village or a city. While Farryn knelt and prayed, Sheila set up a small fire for them. The day had been warm enough, but the night seemed to be chillier. As she worked, Sheila tried to listen for anything in the distance, but there was no sound besides the wind and some bugs chirping. The next day, they’d keeping heading north. In the meantime, Sheila also tried to make their temporary camp as comfortable as possible.

It was hard though. This was roughing it even compared to when Sheila had been with the unicorn riders. They had no tents, so they would have to sleep out in the open. They also had nothing in the way of cooking utensils or pots (_Probably_ s_omething I should have packed_, Sheila thought), so after Farryn skinned and cleaned the rabbit, the meat had to be roasted on sticks. They probably wouldn’t have any sort of proper meal until they got to a village or city. That didn’t seem to faze Farryn though. After eating the roast rabbit, she happily chowed down on some of the junk food they had brought from the other world.

“Looks like you’ve got a sweet tooth,” Sheila commented.

Farryn tilted her head, just as she did whenever she was curious about something. “Sweet tooth?”

“It means you like sweet foods,” Sheila explained.

Farryn shrugged. “Doesn’t everyone?”

“Sure, but having a sweet tooth means you’re especially fond of them.” Sheila smiled at her. “And from the way you polished off three candy bars, I’d say that definitely describes you.”

“I couldn’t help it,” Farryn said. “I was hungry. And the food from your land is pretty good, albeit not as filling as I’d like. I’m glad we still have more left to eat. Though some of it is yours, of course.”

Sheila decided Farryn could have it all. Despite this probably being her last opportunity to ever have candy and chips, she didn’t feel like eating any of it.

“I wonder how long it’s been since I left to explore that cave,” Farryn said, staring into the fire. “It’s hard to tell what season it might be here. It’s so warm that it could easily be summer, but maybe this is how warm it becomes during spring in this part of the world. Do you know how much time may have passed, Sheila McCarthy?”

Her mouth full, Sheila simply shook her head. Farryn sighed.

“Time is weird between the worlds,” Sheila said after she had swallowed the last bite of her dinner. “Dr. Reit explained it to me in detail once, but the gist is that more time passes over here than over than in the other world. I was here for months, but it was only an afternoon over there.”

“I see,” Farryn said. She frowned. “So, even though I was in your world for one moon, it may have been many more moons over here?”

“Probably,” Sheila said. “Though I’m not sure how long, exactly. My first time, I was away for a month, but almost six months passed over here.”

Farryn sighed again. “Stina probably thinks I died in that cave when the earthquake hit. I wonder what she told my parents.”

Sheila wondered what her own parents thought of her disappearance. Had they come home from work and found her note yet? Would they contact Dr. Reit and ask him if he knew where she had gone? What would he say to them? Those questions were unanswerable, but Sheila still wondered.

“Well, whatever she said, I’m sure your parents will be glad that you’re alive,” Sheila said.

Farryn half-smiled. “I’ll be glad to see them again as well, though I’m sure they’ll have cross words for me, about how they training to become an apostle was dangerous and so forth and so on.”

“Well, you couldn’t help some of the things that happened,” Sheila pointed out. “Besides, look at how you went to another world and came back. I’m sure they’ll find that interesting.”

“True. How many can say they’ve done that? Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to see Stina’s reaction when she hears about all this. My parents, though…”

“I’m sure you’ve made your parents proud and will keep on doing that,” Sheila said.

Farryn smiled at her. “No doubt yours feel the same, Sheila McCarthy.”

“Maybe, but I’m not sure what mine will think now that I’ve up and vanished on them,” Sheila said. How much time had passed back on Earth anyway? Probably not much so far.

“It must be difficult to feel torn between two places you love. I’ve only ever known Eavothen. And everyone I care about is there.”

“It’s hard, but I think I could make this my true home from now on,” Sheila said. _Assuming I find Illyria and her band, of course. Otherwise, I’m stuck with Farryn. Well, at least she’s good company._ “I know this is where I belong.”

“Then I’m glad we were able to help each other return,” Farryn said. “Well, we probably ought to get some rest so that we can start early tomorrow. Right?”

“Right,” Sheila said. “I’m beat.” And she was. They had walked the entire day, a day that had started with her at school and ended with her landing back in the other world, somewhere. Every part of her body was tired.

“I’ll take the first watch then,” Farryn said, standing up. “I’ll wake you in a bit so that I can rest some too.”

That was fine by Sheila. She lied back and stared up into the night sky. It was still clear, so she could see the stars shining in all their glory, including the constellations that Farryn had pointed out to her. This was the sky to her now, the only one she’d know from this point onward. The thought was both sad and comforting. Sheila turned on her side, curled up, and rested her head on her arm. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Despite the hard ground being her bed, her sleep was far more peaceful than it had been the two previous nights.


	7. The Tower

The next few days were more or less the same. At night, they stopped, camped and ate. In the morning, they ate breakfast and broke camp. Farryn began and ended each day on her knees quietly praying while Sheila stood by and waited for her finish. During the day, the two girls walked. And walked. Sheila was glad she had worn comfortable shoes.

They hiked on through the forest until the trees ended and they came upon a dusty plain. The open grassland eventually gave way to another patch of forest. Occasionally, Farryn would shoot something for them to eat. The fare wasn’t great – rabbit, lizard, snake, bird – but Sheila figured it was better than starving. Whenever she felt discouraged, she reminded herself that at the end of this, there was the chance that she’d see her fellow riders again.

But thinking back to their conversation the first night made Sheila wonder: just how much time had passed here? Was it as long as her previous absence? Shorter? Farryn had wondered about the passage of time as well, but in the end told Sheila that she had decided to focus on getting somewhere first, confident that things would work themselves out. Sheila could see the wisdom in that, but she couldn’t help wondering about it as they walked.

After all, there was nothing much else to do. Farryn was more than happy to talk her ears off for parts of the day though. She talked about her home, Eavothen, and about the old ones (the people who had lived in Eavothen far before the Evurin had), a topic that clearly fascinated her. She chattered on about how she had wanted to spend her life studying them before deciding to become an apostle of the goddess. That, of course, was Farryn’s other favorite topic, the goddess that the Evurin worshipped, how everything flowed from her, how her light shined and brought people peace and prosperity and so forth and so on. Religion seemed to be pretty important in her society, and Farryn was very devoted.

_Of course, the way she goes on,_ Sheila thought one afternoon, _I’ll soon be a believer in this goddess from having to listen to Farryn talk about her so much. I had wanted to hear about it all, sure, but a little bit goes a long way._

Sheila also learned that in Eavothen, both men and women could be soldiers, apostles (like Farryn wanted to be, some kind of specially-trained soldier as Sheila understood it), healers, scholars, shopkeepers, sages (who seemed to be the rulers of that society), or whatever. That sounded very different from some other places in the world of the unicorn queen that Sheila knew of. Farryn missed her home, so Sheila felt a little bad for being annoyed at her constant chattering. And besides, based on what she had said, Farryn must have gone for a long time without having anyone she could talk to.

By Sheila’s reckoning, they hiked on for a week. And then another. The landscape changed now and then, but they still found nothing but open wilderness. Sheila asked Farryn one evening if they were still going in the right direction.

“We’re still following the goddess’s eye,” Farryn said. “Still going north.”

“We haven’t looped around and ended up going in a circle, have we?” Sheila asked.

Farryn chuckled. “No, Sheila McCarthy. I promise you we haven’t. If that were the case, we’d come upon our old campsites now and then.”

Early one morning, clouds rolled in, and by noon, it began to rain. Sheila remembered the time she and her fellow unicorn riders had made their way to Ryudain when the land was wracked by constant storms and heavy downpours. This rain was lighter, but still not fun to travel in. It didn’t seem to bother Farryn at all though. She simply pulled up her hood and continued walking as though nothing had changed. Sheila wished she had remembered to pack a hood or a hat (_Something else I should have packed_, she thought grumpily). She pulled her scarf from her backpack and wrapped it around her head, but that did little to keep her dry. Hopefully, the rain would at least stop before nightfall so that they didn’t have to sleep out in it. Or maybe they’d find a small cave or overhang that would shelter them.

_Sure_, Sheila thought. _And maybe we’ll find Batman’s bat cave while we’re at it._

* * *

“So, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said as she stepped over a large tree root. “There is something I’ve been mildly curious about if you’ll indulge me.”

“Yes?” Sheila asked. They had been quiet for a while as they made their way up a large hill, but Sheila figured some conversation would take her mind off the fact that she was soaked. The rain had slowed to a sprinkle, but she probably wouldn’t be able to dry out her clothes and change into something else until they stopped for the evening.

“The boy in your story, Darian. You mentioned him quite a few times. Is he special to you?”

Sheila felt her face grow warm. Farryn couldn’t magically read minds like Micula could, but she had apparently picked up on Sheila’s feelings for Darian anyway. And of course, she wanted to discuss romance, just like Cookie would have. Sheila probably should have expected that, but Farryn’s question still caught her off-guard.

“Uh…yes, somewhat,” Sheila said. “It’s, well, complicated.”

“Complicated how?”

“Just…complicated,” Sheila repeated, hoping Farryn wouldn’t inquire about it any further.

That seemed enough to satisfy Farryn though. She nodded. “I guess these things can get complicated, can’t they?”

“No kidding,” Sheila said, hoping she would have a chance to make things would be less complicated with Darian in the future. “What about you, Farryn? Have you ever had someone…uh, special? Maybe that boy Jonik from your story?”

Now it was Farryn’s turn to blush. That pretty much answered Sheila’s question.

“Jonik is a dear, dear friend,” Farryn said. “He is very special to me in many ways. I just…”

“You just…?”

“Well, now I haven’t seen him in what might be a very long time,” Farryn said, now sounding a little sad. “And he might think I’m dead. I wonder if he’s forgotten about me.”

“I’m sure he hasn’t,” Sheila reassured her. “If someone is special…they keep you in their heart.”

_Wait, am I still talking about Farryn’s boy or Darian now? Well, the circumstances are kind of similar._

“True,” Farryn said. “Back in Eavothen, I occasionally wondered if he and I had a future together. Sometimes, I’d picture it.”

“You mean…like marrying him?” Sheila asked though she didn’t know if the Evurin even had marriage or not.

“Maybe,” Farryn said, chuckling. “If my parents and his parents agreed to it and the elders consented to the match.”

“What?” Sheila said. “You don’t get to choose?”

“No,” Farryn said. “That’s not how marriage works. For us, your parents and your mate’s parents all go to the elders and arrange it all. You don’t typically choose, per se. Of course, if you already like each other, that’s not an issue. Otherwise, you just learn to do so.”

That didn’t sound like fun at all to Sheila. She was about to say so when Farryn suddenly shot her hand out in front of her, bring them both to a halt at the crest of the large hill they’d been climbing. Was it time for Farryn to shoot some game? Sheila didn’t want to just stand still in this weather.

“Wait,” Farryn said, raising her hand up in front of her. “Do you see that?”

Sheila looked to where Farryn was pointing and squinted. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for until suddenly…

“A tower!” Sheila exclaimed, seeing the tall stone structure rise above some trees in the far distance. Finally, something. Were there people in that tower?

“Yes. Let’s pick up the pace,” Farryn said. “We should be able to reach it before evening.”

Sheila wanted to groan – they were going at a pretty hard pace as it was – but it would be nice to reach the tower before nightfall. Maybe there were friendly people there. Maybe they’d be able to dry out and not sleep in the rain.

_Of course, maybe the people there aren’t so friendly_, Sheila thought. But there was no point in worrying about that until they got closer.

It must have been late afternoon or early evening by the time they reached the tower; it was hard for Sheila to tell the time on such a cloudy day. Up close, they saw that the tower rose out of a little walled keep. The good part was that the main gate of the keep was wide open, so they could easily go in. The bad part was that it was clear nobody had lived in the place for a long time. It was obviously abandoned and had fallen to ruin. In addition to being old and worn, plant life had grown over much of it. There was a smaller part of the keep that looked like it had collapsed completely, and the courtyard was nothing but a mix of mud, weeds, and fallen stones.

“This place has seen better days,” Sheila commented. “I guess there’s nothing here for us after all.”

“Maybe we can climb up to the top of the tower,” Farryn said, looking up. “It’s pretty tall, so we could probably see if there’s anything else around here.”

“Is that safe though?” Sheila asked. “It looks ready to fall over.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Farryn said, heading for the tower door.

Sheila wasn’t so sure but followed after Farryn anyway. The inside of the tower foyer was dingy and dark. Some rubble and debris were strewn about, but there were still no people. Farryn conjured up a little ball of light to float above her. Sheila pulled her flashlight out of her backpack and shined it around. There was junk that might have been furniture once, but it was nothing now except rotted wood. As she shined her flashlight against one wall, she saw a small swarm of little brown bugs run away from the light beam.

“Yuck,” Sheila said. “Nasty.”

Farryn didn’t seem bothered by the bugs, however. She kept looking all over the place until she found a doorway on the far side of the tower foyer.

“Here are the stairs,” Farryn said, and she dashed off up them.

Sheila followed her but didn’t run. She had noticed that Farryn seemed to simply dive into things without looking. Her story about her going into that mountain cave, investigating the archway, and now searching this tower, they all seemed to follow the same pattern.

“Slow down!” Sheila called after Farryn. “What if the stairs are broken? I don’t want you to fall.”

Farryn stopped where she was, about ten steps above Sheila, and waited for her to catch up. “They don’t seem to be broken, Sheila McCarthy, but I’ll keep a close eye on them as we ascend.”

Sheila’s fears turned about to be unfounded. The stairwell itself had some cracks and windows in the wall so that a little light from the outside shined in, but the stone stairs themselves were in okay condition. They climbed and climbed and climbed some more. Sheila wasn’t sure how high they had gone up – she had stopped counting the stairs after eighty or so – but it seemed like the stairs would never end.

“They should have installed an elevator in this place,” Sheila grumbled.

“What’s an elevator?” Farryn asked, not sounding tired at all. Sheila felt annoyed at her for that.

“Something you ride up and down buildings.”

“Something you ride…like a horse?”

“No, it’s…never mind,” Sheila said. “Let’s just get to the top of the tower and be done with this.” She was feeling pretty hot and worn out from all the climbing. Hopefully, going down the stairs would be easier than going up them. Farryn still didn’t seem tired though. In addition to being kind of impulsive, she also seemed to have an endless reserve of energy. Sheila couldn’t figure out how she was able to run up these stairs so easily after they had been walking all day.

_It’s a good thing I’m not afraid of heights,_ Sheila thought when they had finally reached the top and emerged on to the tower roof. There was a short retaining wall around the ledge, but it would still be easy enough to stumble over and fall to one’s death. Sheila looked around them in all directions, hoping to see something, anything (maybe even an ocean), but there didn’t seem to be anything nearby except for more of the empty wilderness they had been already traversing through.

“Well, it’s a nice view,” Sheila remarked. “But otherwise, I guess this was pointless.”

“No, I think I see some farmland, far off,” Farryn said pointing. “If there’s a farm, there’s bound to be people.”

Sheila looked where Farryn was pointing and squinted. It was hard to tell, given that the weather was still pretty overcast. She couldn’t see much on the horizon except for lots of green and some hills and mountains.

_I should have brought binoculars or a telescope_, she thought. Well, like everything else she should have brought, there was no point in worrying about that now. She’d have to trust Farryn’s eyesight.

“Let’s see what else is in here before we leave,” Farryn suggested when they got back to the bottom of the tower.

“Are you sure?” Sheila asked. After climbing up and down that long staircase, Sheila had no desire to explore this place more. What she most wanted was an actual meal, a hot bath, and then a nice rest in a comfortable bed afterward. Absent those, she’d accept simply vacating the ruins. “It’s going to be night soon. And this place is creepy enough in the daylight.”

“We should be fine, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said. “And it won’t take long.” She darted off toward another door in the keep.

Sheila sighed and had no choice but to follow after her. If Farryn lingered for any extended length of time, Sheila would gently remind her that they were supposed to heading for some kind of civilization, not digging through old ruins. Hopefully, she’d listen.

To be fair though, Sheila herself was mildly curious about the ruins. Sure, it was possible they could find something interesting in it. Of course, it was equally likely that they’d find nothing but more rubble, bugs, and weeds.

As they entered another part of the keep, that was exactly what they found. It also smelled musty and moldy and something else bad that Sheila couldn’t identify. Farryn still wasn’t bothered by any of this. She was clearly having a good time. In the corner of one hallway, there was a full suit of armor slumped in the corner, as though someone had thrown it there like a rag doll. It looked as grimy as the rest of the ruins. With some effort, Farryn got the visor of the helmet open. It squealed with rust as it raised, and a skull looked back at them with empty eye sockets. Whoever this was, they had been dead a long time.

“And the creepiness just keeps stacking up,” Sheila commented. “Are we done here, Farryn? We really should get going.”

“Look at this though,” Farryn said, leaning down and retrieving something from the dead knight’s belt. She held it up and showed it to Sheila. It was a small round that jewel that looked like marble. It was set in a silver base that had a chain attached to it. Unlike everything else they had seen in the ruins, it wasn’t covered in grime or dirt.

“That’s pretty,” Sheila said. “But we probably ought to leave it here.” The fact that it was so clean despite being in such filthy surroundings was probably an ominous sign.

Farryn didn’t seem to agree though. She stowed the jewel in her satchel. “It’s a treasure, Sheila McCarthy. Why should it stay here and collect dust when it can be studied and enjoyed and appreciated?”

“Uh, because we don’t know what it is and we’re taking it off of a corpse?”

“I doubt this knight has any further need of it,” Farryn said, chattering as she continued to search the armored skeleton. “You know, in Eavothen, we burn our dead. That’s the proper way to send someone off to the afterlife. Ooh, look at this!” She held up a sheathed dagger and showed it to Sheila.

Against her better judgment, Sheila pulled it out. Like the jewel, it was still clean and shined in the low light. Was it magical too? It was plain but felt oddly heavy. Was it made from steel or silver or something else entirely? It might have been lead for all Sheila knew; she couldn’t tell. It looked sharp and deadly, at least.

“That’s a nice sidearm,” Farryn said. “Why don’t you keep it, Sheila McCarthy? It’s always good to have an extra weapon available.”

“Fine,” Sheila said, sliding the dagger back into its scabbard and attaching it to her belt. “We’ve done what we came for and found some other things besides. Now, can we please leave?”

“It looks like there’s one last place we can check out,” Farryn said, heading for a door on the other side of the hall. “Let’s see if there’s anything in there too.” With a little effort, she forced the door open and stepped through it.

Sheila groaned and followed after her again. Would she be able to grab Farryn by her cloak and forcibly drag her out? That would be hard; Farryn was much taller than her and pretty strong to boot. Maybe Sheila needed to be a little more forward with her words.

“Listen,” Sheila began as she stepped through the door. She adopted her most serious tone of voice. “We really ought to-huh?”

The room on the other side of the door was somehow darker and gloomier than the rest of the fortress. And the bad odor Sheila couldn’t identify before was much, much stronger in here. Finally, the air seemed to feel heavy to Sheila, like something was weighing her down. It made her feel a little nauseous and tense at the same time.

Sheila saw part of the reason it was darker. Farryn’s magical light had gone out. She flicked her wrist, but it didn’t reappear.

“My light doesn’t want to shine in here,” Farryn said. “Odd.”

“Farryn,” Sheila said, pulling on her arm. “We need to get out of here. _Now_.” She truly meant it. There was something really, really wrong in this place.

“You’re right, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said. She must have felt it too. “Let’s go.”

But as they turned to leave, something changed. What little light there had been suddenly vanished, leaving them in almost complete darkness. The only light now came from Sheila’s flashlight. It was as if some thick black smoke had suddenly filled the place.

“This can’t be good,” Sheila said. “Uh…hold on to me, and let’s find the way out…”

Farryn grabbed Sheila’s arm with her free hand and held her spear at the ready with her other. “Right.”

They made their way slowly back down the hallway. They were nearly at the end of it (or what Sheila thought was the end) when some strange blob suddenly rose up from the floor and blocked the way. It seemed like it was made out of motor oil, almost, but thicker and practically solid. The smell coming from it was atrocious; it was all Sheila could do to not gag and throw up. Some sort of weird mouth on it opened, and it screamed in a harsh, buzzing noise that made both girls cover their ears.

“I’ll take care of this!” Farryn said, thrusting her spear into the thing. But nothing happened. Her spear went right through it. Farryn tried attacking it again, but still with no success. She stepped back to Sheila. “I-”

Farryn’s words were cut off by another harsh buzzing sound that came from behind them this time. Sheila turned around and in the light of the flashlight saw that more of those weird things were rising up from the floor behind them. They were slowly moving toward the girls. This was bad.

“Goddess protect us,” Farryn said.

“I don’t know what we can do,” Sheila said, hoping this wasn’t suddenly their end. She shined her flashlight around as more and more of the things seemed to appear.

“We’ll think of something,” Farryn said, readying her spear again. “There must be some kind of way to stop them.”

Suddenly, Sheila did notice one thing about the creatures, however; they seemed to curl into themselves some when Sheila shined her flashlight at them.

“Wait, they don’t like the light!” Sheila yelled. She switched the brightness on the flashlight all the way up and shined it quickly at each of the creatures in turn. They all shrieked and cringed back, and some light seemed to return to the room.

“Looks like they’ve stopped,” Sheila said. “Let’s get out of here while we can!”

Both girls turned and took off sprinting around the thing in front of them, through the door, and out of the keep. They dashed through the ruined courtyard and away from the ruins altogether. Sheila had done runs like this in PE, but running for her life was something else altogether. Her heart was absolutely pounding in her chest. They were well away from the ruins before both girls stopped, gasping.

“Well…” Farryn said. “That…was an adventure.”

“That…was…CRAZY!” Sheila said, raising her voice as best she could in her winded state. “We really…shouldn’t have…stayed around those ruins for…so long.”

“We got away though,” Farryn pointed out. She had recovered from their hard run pretty quickly. And she didn’t seem at all shaken by their scary encounter. “Thanks to your quick thinking and magical skill, Sheila McCarthy. And now we can resume our journey.”

“Farryn…”

“Yes?”

“Please, let’s…let’s not do anything like that again. Let’s just…focus on getting somewhere. _Alive_, preferably.”

“I agree. I promise you: no more unnecessary stops. I’ll try not to get to so carried away and distracted again. I apologize for doing so. In the meantime, it looks like there’s still a bit of daylight left. Shall we make use of it?"

That was fine by Sheila. She wanted to put as much distance between them and those creepy, haunted ruins as possible. Even despite that, she was probably going to see those awful blob things in her nightmares for a long time. She gave the ruins on last backward glance, shuddered, and then set off with Farryn. Her heart was still racing.

* * *

It was very dark by the time they stopped for the night to camp on the bank of a small river. Sheila wished they could have slept farther away from the ruins, but figured this was probably the best they could do. Hopefully, none of those weird things from the ruins would follow them. For her part, Farryn didn’t still seem too concerned.

“I think we’d be able to sense it if they did come after us,” Farryn said. “We’re both sensitive to that sort of magic, right?”

“I guess…” Sheila said. She didn’t know too much about magic other than what Micula had taught her and things she had picked up here and there. She had been able to sort of sense the spirits in the ruins, but maybe that had also been her general bad feeling about the place as well.

“Perhaps they were bound to that place,” Farryn said. “That can happen sometimes. Of course, something awful might have simply happened there, and they came to adopt it as a home. Or they could have been summoned there. Who knows? The currents of magic felt different where they were, that much is certain. If nothing else, you figured out how to stop them. They were afraid of your magical light device. That’s an interesting tool, by the way, Sheila McCarthy. How exactly does it work?”

_Of course!_ Sheila thought. _Why didn’t I think of that before?_ Something in Farryn’s babbling once again triggered an idea in her mind.

“Hey,” Sheila said. “The currents of magic, summoning…what if I tried summoning Micula, the sorceress who taught me? Or maybe Illyria? If I do it right, then maybe they’ll be able to help us. Maybe they’ll be able to help us get to Campora or at least tell us where we are.”

“Oh! That’s a good idea. I’ve never done any kind of summoning magic myself. Are you very skilled at it?”

“Uh, well, not exactly,” Sheila admitted. “But I’ve done it a few times. Hold on a sec, let me try.”

Sheila sat down on a large smooth rock and tried to ground herself, thinking of the earth and the sky, and the animals and the wind and how everything was tied together. A strange, prickly feeling came over her; it was similar to when Sheila had practiced summoning before. She could feel the flow of magic around her. She concentrated on summoning Micula the sorceress. Maybe she’d be able to open a portal and bring them right into Campora. Sheila remembered how Kumuru, the former King of Samarna, had once opened a portal that allowed him to cross a long distance in an instant. Micula was probably far more powerful than him, so surely she’d be able to do the same.

She sat still and concentrated for some time. But nothing happened. In her head, before, she had been able to see the person she was summoning (and sometimes, someone who she wasn’t trying to summon). But this time, there was nothing but a strange fog. No matter how hard Sheila tried, she couldn’t clear it.

“Did it work?” Farryn asked when Sheila finally opened her eyes.

“No, I couldn’t see anything but grey fog,” Sheila said, shaking her head. “But summoning Micula has never come very easy for me. I only managed that once. I’ll try Illyria instead. After all, I was able to summon her back in my bedroom at home, and if she’s anywhere in this world, then she’s automatically much closer than when I tried then.”

Sheila tried grounding herself again and casting a spell to summon Illyria, beseeching the moon above to reach her. But again, nothing happened. There was nothing grey fog in her head when she tried.

“I guess I’ve somehow forgotten how to do it correctly or something,” Sheila said. “I couldn’t summon Illyria either.”

“That’s alright,” Farryn said kindly. “It was worth a try. And for now, we can just keep going as we have been, right?”

“Right,” Sheila said. “We continue walking until we circle the entire planet and end up back where we started.”

Farryn chuckled. “I doubt it will come to that.”

The rest of that night and the next few days were uneventful. Farryn pestered Sheila to tell her more about her “magic light device” again, as well as some other things she had seen when she was on Earth. So, for a while, Sheila talked more than Farryn did, which was unusual. A few days after their trip through the ruins, they stepped into yet another patch of woods, this one full of cedar and cypress trees. The landscape had changed yet again, so at least they were getting somewhere. It was also warmer here during the day, though the nights felt a little cooler. When they emerged from that bit of forest, they found themselves in a field full of even rows of corn and wheat. Farryn had been right about what she had seen – there was farmland after all. Sheila was relieved. At last, some sign of civilization!

Just beyond the field stood a small hut and a ramshackle barn. At the far end of the field, a man and a woman were tilling the soil. They were so engrossed in their work that they hadn’t noticed the two girls.

“Look over there,” Farryn said, pointing at them.

“Yes,” Sheila said. “Finally, some actual people. The first we’ve seen in forever. Let’s go meet them.”


	8. Farm and City

“Hello there!” Sheila called as they approached the farmers.

Both of them stopped working and looked at the girls. They were each wearing worn, sun-faded tunics and straw hats. The man had a thick beard that was mostly brown but peppered with silver here and there. The woman had a beauty mark next to her mouth. How old were they? Much older than Sheila and Farryn, that was obvious. They appeared friendly enough though. And neither of them went running in fear despite the sudden presence of two armed strangers in their field.

“Hullo,” the man said. “Who are you two?”

Sheila was immediately relieved that the two farmers spoke the same tongue as them. She introduced herself and Farryn. After hearing their names, the couple did likewise. The man turned out to be named Otho, and the woman was his wife, Belba.

“What are you girls doing out here?” Otho asked, leaning on his hoe. “Are you from one of the other settlements?”

“No, we’ve been traveling,” Sheila said. “We’ve come a pretty long way, actually.”

“Two young girls traveling alone?” Belba raised an eyebrow at the notion. “That’s dangerous.” The disapproval in her voice was clear.

“It wasn’t entirely by choice,” Farryn said. “We just…sort of ended up somewhere, unsure of where we were.”

“And how did you manage that?”

“It’s a long story,” Sheila answered quickly before Farryn could chatter on about their other-worldly travels. There was no telling how these two might react to their story or if they’d even believe it. “As Farryn said, we’re lost and we were hoping maybe we get some directions…”

“Is there a city or village nearby?” Farryn asked.

“Depends on how far you’re willing to walk,” Otho answered.

“We’ve already walked a lot,” Sheila said. “What’s a little more?”

“Fair enough,” Otho said, chuckling. “Well, if you follow the road just off the farm, you’ll eventually reach Ansar after a lot of twists and turns. There are a few smaller villages along the way, but that’s the closest city.”

Sheila felt her heart leap. “Ansar? Really? It’s that nearby?”

“Perhaps not as close by as you think,” Belba said. “Ansar is more than a day’s ride along the road, and if you’re on foot, it’ll take you even longer to get there.”

“Are you familiar with Ansar?” Farryn asked Sheila.

“I’ve been there before, and we can make our way from there,” Sheila said. She remembered the battle at Dynasian’s fortress there, where they thought the unicorns had been hidden. Less fondly, she remembered the time she had been sent into the city itself with Dian to “purchase” cloth and had been forced to flee. But she couldn’t just share all that with Otho and Belba. She turned back to them. “Thank you both very much. I wish I had something I could pay you with…”

Otho shrugged. “Swapping words is free.”

“You girls have no horses though,” Belba said. She exchanged a look with her husband. “Are you seriously planning on walking all the way to Ansar from here?”

“Not much choice,” Sheila said. “So I guess we had better get going then-”

“We’re almost done with work for the day,” Belba said, interrupting her. “Are you hungry? You’re welcome to stay for dinner.”

“Very hungry!” Farryn said, smiling. “And we welcome your invitation. May the goddess bless you both.”

* * *

It was Sheila’s first proper meal in two weeks and Farryn’s first in who-knew-how-long.

They sat at a rickety wooden table inside Otho and Belba’s farmhouse. Their home might have been simple, but the couple served a rich supper. There was corn and roast lamb and some kind of leafy green vegetable Sheila couldn’t identify but enjoyed anyway. There was also a plate of some blue-purple berries that Sheila didn’t recognize either. But when she tried them, she found them to be absolutely delicious. Between the two of them, Sheila and Farryn managed to polish off a lot of food.

“How are things in Ansar?” Sheila asked after they had helped clean up after the meal.

“Fine from what I’ve seen,” Otho said.

“Are there thieves or other dangers we should watch out for?” Farryn asked.

“You should certainly remain vigilant, especially on the road there,” Belba said. “But, for the most part, you shouldn’t run into any trouble in Ansar itself. The Sareen maintain order pretty well.”

“The Sareen?” Farryn asked.

“Warriors of the Sun,” Sheila answered. The word was as unfamiliar to Farryn as it had once been to Sheila. “They were a rebel group against Dynasian.”

And the fact that people were still familiar with the Sareen gave Sheila a hint as to how much time had passed. If years and years had passed, the Sareen would probably be nothing more than history or old legends. This was a good sign.

“That’s right,” Otho nodded. “But nowadays they’re much more than a simple rebel group.”

“Really?” Sheila asked. “How so?”

“The Sareen rule in Ansar now,” Belba said.

“From what I’ve seen and heard, it’s much better than when Dynasian’s thugs ran the place,” Otho said. “I only visit the market myself sometimes to sell crops or to buy tools for the farm, but it is much easier to trade there now. You don’t have to bribe guards, and people can come and go more freely.”

“That sure sounds like an improvement,” Sheila said. “I guess they took over after Dynasian was driven out?”

“Shortly thereafter, yes,” Belba nodded. “Ansar no longer wanted to be under Dynasian’s thumb, and it was only natural for the Sareen to take charge. Of course, the great hero of the Sareen, Nemor, was executed by Dynasian, which was a tragedy, but he still managed to drive the bastard off before doing so. That’s the story, anyway.”

_That’s not what happened,_ Sheila wanted to say but figured it was better to keep quiet. Belba and Otho both seemed to respect the Sareen and Sheila didn’t want to start any arguments. But hadn’t the Sareen themselves found out about Nemor’s treachery at the end? Well, Sheila guessed it didn’t matter. With the Sareen in Ansar, things really would be vastly improved. And presumably, the rest of them weren’t triple-agent backstabbers, like Nemor had been.

“Are there many ships sailing out of Ansar now?” Sheila asked.

“Aye,” Otho said. “Never sailed out of there myself, but the port always seems busy enough.”

“You girls aren’t fleeing some sort of trouble, are you?” Belba asked. She seemed like a stern lady and reminded Sheila of an elderly science teacher she’d had in middle school, and not only because they both wore their hair in a tight bun.

“No, nothing like that,” Sheila said. _Except for horrible things in old ruins_, she mentally added. “I was hoping…well, I was hoping that we could get to Campora. Do you know if any ships sail there?”

Otho shrugged. “I wouldn’t know, but I don’t see why not.”

“Campora?” Belba asked. “Why do you want to go to Campora?”

“To meet up with some friends of mine, hopefully,” Sheila said. “Do you have news out of there by any chance?”

“Not much news from outside Ansar makes it all the way out here,” Otho said. “And the little that does tends to be woefully out of date.”

Sheila nodded. “Well, that’s okay. We’ll find out for ourselves soon enough, I guess.”

Sheila looked outside the kitchen window and saw that darkness had fallen. Time had just flown by while they ate and chatted with Otho and Belba. She collected her backpack from where she had set it down and threw it over her shoulders.

“It’s getting to be late,” Sheila said. “We had better get going. Thank you both for the meal. It was delicious.” She nodded at Farryn, who began collecting her things as well.

Belba looked concerned. “You’re going to be traveling to Ansar at night? What if you get lost? Where will you sleep?”

“We’ll stay on the road,” Sheila said. “And we’ll just sleep outside.”

“This is the path the goddess has laid out for us,” Farryn added. “And we’re kind of used to it at this point.”

“Sounds uncomfortable,” Otho said.

“You two are welcome to sleep in the stable for the night,” Belba said. She looked at Sheila and Farryn’s worn, dirty clothes. “You look like you haven’t spent a night indoors for some time.”

“I wouldn’t want to impose…” Sheila said though the prospect of not sleeping on the hard ground for once was enticing.

Otho shrugged again. “It’s no imposition.”

“Then we accept,” Farryn said. “Thank you both again for all your hospitality. May the goddess bless you both and provide you with a bountiful harvest from your farm as well.”

It was nice to spend a night indoors after nearly two weeks of sleeping outside, especially since it looked like that evening would bring more rain. Sheila lied back on a large hay pile that would serve well as a reasonably comfortable bed. There was a second pile that Farryn laid down on. It wasn’t a fancy hotel by any means, but it beat sleeping while exposed to the elements.

“I stayed in a barn the last time I was near Ansar,” Sheila remarked, watching a soft rain fall outside the stable and appreciating that she wasn’t out in it.

“Funny how things like that happen, eh?” Farryn said. “We’re fortunate to have found such friendly hosts. The goddess must have smiled upon us.”

Sheila shrugged. “If you say so. Now that we know where we are, we can make some concrete plans instead of simply wandering in one direction.”

“Good idea, Sheila McCarthy. You’re familiar with this region, right?”

“I rode through here before, though Illyria was leading the way,” Sheila said. That felt like forever ago. “I know we’re still pretty far south of Campora, but it would probably be best if we tried to make our way there. Illyria and the other riders are probably there.”

Farryn nodded, and Sheila continued.

“I’m thinking that maybe we could take a ship,” Sheila said. “If what Belba and Otho said is true, then some of them are bound to be sailing to Campora.”

“That’s a good idea,” Farryn said. “And maybe I can find a ship from Campora back to Eavothen.”

Sheila felt a little sad at Farryn’s words. They have been traveling together for what felt like a long time. They’d had some interesting adventures together (even if one of them had been dangerous and potentially deadly). But of course, Farryn wanted to go back to her homeland – that had been her goal since the very beginning, when she had shown up on Sheila’s doorstep. That wouldn’t stop Sheila from missing her, of course.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to find a way to get you back home,” Sheila said, yawning. “Illyria or Prince Laric will think of something.” She was more and more confident that not too much time had passed, so they wouldn’t be retired to a quiet life in the mountains or something.

Both girls were too tired and full for any more talk and soon were asleep.

The trek to Ansar turned out to be uneventful. Sheila was grateful for that – she remembered the last time she had walked this road, wearing a tent for a dress. The same throng of people heading in and out of the wall itself was present, but this time the guards were simply keeping an eye out for troublemakers rather than closely questioning every person entering the city. Sheila and Farryn were able to just walk right in with no issue.

Still, as they made their way through the marketplace, Sheila double-checked that they didn’t go near any cloth merchants – her experience from when she and Dian had “stolen” some cloth from a shop and were forced to flee was a sour memory. Sheila didn’t think the cloth shop owner would recognize her again after so long, but she didn’t want to take any chances either.

At least Dian wasn’t with her this time to boss her around. Farryn was just fine following Sheila. They made their way to the docks where many ships were in port and more could be seen out in the bay that Ansar was on. They decided the best way to find a ship that might take them to Campora was to split and ask some of the workers along the dock. They’d cover more ground that way.

But after speaking with some folks there, Sheila was beginning to doubt they’d be able to find a ship. Most of the workers she tried to ask only spoke Miolan, the language of the southern part of the Campora Empire. Sheila, of course, didn’t know that, and she was pretty certain that Farryn didn’t either. Of the ones Sheila could communicate with, none of them were on ships bound for Campora anytime soon. They planned voyages elsewhere and weren’t planning on going to Campora for weeks or even months. Sheila and Farryn could just walk to Campora in that amount of time.

After a half-hour of trying, Sheila made one last attempt with some men sailing a little ship with a black sail. She got nothing but dark looks and head shakes for efforts. Sighing, she met back up with Farryn. Hopefully, Farryn’s attempts had gone better.

“Any luck?” Sheila asked her.

“See that ship over there?” Farryn said, pointing at a large, beautiful frigate with colorful sails. “That’s a merchant ship that should be sailing for Campora very soon, according to on the dock workers.”

“Then let’s go see if we can find the captain.”

After some inquiry, one of the crewmen of the ship agreed to go and fetch the captain of the ship for Sheila and Farryn. They wanted on the dock for a few moments until a sharply-dressed, well-groomed man made his way down the gangplank. He wrote red trousers and a matching vest that Sheila saw had bright buttons on it that were probably gold. The crewman pointed at Farryn and Sheila, and the man came over to address them.

“I am Randal, Captain of the _Sea Sabre_ and merchant extraordinaire,” the man said, bowing. “Are you lovely ladies searching for something? I have silk gowns from Campora, fruits from Samarna, fine jewels from Lumor, among many other goods. Whatever you wish, I am certain we can make a deal.”

“I’m Sheila, and this Farryn,” Sheila said. “Pleased to meet you, Captain Randal. Are you by any chance sailing to Campora anytime soon?”

“In two days, as it happens,” Randal said. “Is there something you are wishing to get from her markets? I most likely already have it.” He smiled widely at them, and Sheila saw that he was rather handsome.

“No,” Farryn said. “We’re trying to get there. Do you take on passengers?”

“I have been known to do so on occasion,” Randal said. “But I must warn you, I do not give such a service for free, not even to beautiful women such as yourselves.”

“Ah…” Farryn said, looking at Sheila uncertainly. Sheila was pretty sure Farryn had no money on her.

Sheila reached into the pocket of her backpack. At the very bottom, she had a little bit of change. She retrieved it and held it out to Randal. “I know it’s not much, but maybe it’s enough?”

“Such unusual coins,” Randal said, examining the pennies, dimes, and quarters closely.

“They’re from…another kingdom,” Sheila said. “The kingdom of…uh…America.”

“I’ve not heard of that place,” Randal said. “But in any event, that is not enough to buy two passes on to my ship, even if I did find a buyer interested in strange foreign currency.”

“That’s all I’ve got,” Sheila said.

“Then I am sorry,” Randal said. “But if you are not paying, then you are not traveling with me.”

“Maybe you can take us on as security against pirates,” Farryn offered. “We’ve both trained as warriors, and we could work in exchange for passage.”

“Young lady,” Randal said. “Guards, I have aplenty. My crew is well-trained. Besides, pirates are not so much a problem in these waters as in some others. I have seen some strange ships here and there, but I imagine those are simply smugglers, as they do not bother me or any other merchant ships.”

This was no good. Maybe they’d end up having to walk to Campora from Ansar after all. It probably wasn’t as far as the journey they had already undertaken, but Sheila wanted to get back there sooner rather than later. And honestly, she was tired of walking. She considered herself lucky that her legs still worked after more than two weeks of non-stop all-day hiking.

Captain Randal began to turn away from them. “Again, I am sorry girls, but if you are not buying anything, nor purchasing passage on my ship, then I really must-”

“Wait,” Sheila said, digging into her bag. An idea had occurred to her. She pulled out her flashlight and held it out to Randal. “Here. This is a treasure from a faraway land. Would you take it as payment?”

“Treasure from a faraway land?” Randal said, turning around and eyeing the flashlight curiously. “Are you telling me the truth? You didn’t scavenge this from some ruin, did you? Because I am very wary of simply accepting things found in old ruins. Bad luck, you know.”

“I promise you it’s not from any ruin,” Sheila said, thinking of the ruin they had visited and glad Farryn hadn’t offered up the jewel she had found.

“You have an honest face,” Randal said. “And I believe you. So, what is it?”

“It’s called a flashlight.” Sheila noticed the man’s raised eyebrow. “It’s alright, you can touch it. It’s not dangerous.

Randal took the flashlight slowly and hesitantly, seeming relieved when nothing happened. “A flashlight. What’s it for?”

“It creates light,” Sheila explained. She reached out and pressed the button on the side of the flashlight. A beam of light shot out of the flashlight, and Randal’s eyes widened.

“Interesting,” Randal mused, as he pointed the flashlight at the ground. “Is it magic?”

“Of a kind,” Sheila said. “But again, it’s nothing dangerous. It’s like…well, a lantern.”

“I see,” said Randal, now turning the flashlight over in his hands. “It’s not nearly as heavy as a lantern though. There’s no candle or flame in it, but it’s so bright all the same. Hmmm.”

Randal continued to study the flashlight closely, pressing the button a few times, turning it off and on and back off again. Finally, he looked back up at Sheila and Farryn. “Yes. I could certainly fetch a good price for this. Probably far more than I’d be charging the two of you to ride on my ship. Are you sure this is a trade you’re willing to make? It seems like I’m the one getting the better deal. I am a trader and merchant extraordinaire, but that doesn’t mean I cheat my customers.”

“Absolutely sure,” Sheila replied. It would be a shame to lose the flashlight, but the batteries wouldn’t last forever anyway.

“As you wish, then,” Randal said. “Still, I hate to feel as though I’m taking advantage of your desperate situation though. I’ll give you two a large, comfortable cabin. Please, come with me, and I’ll show you my ship, the _Sea Sabre_. She’s my pride and joy.”

He waved them forward and escorted them onto the large, beautiful ship.

Captain Randal was good on his word. He set them up in a large cabin that opened directly on to the upper deck of the ship. Staying in the ship cabin would be even better than sleeping in Otho and Belba’s stable. It had only one bed, but that bed was large enough for both of them to share comfortably. It was also soft, and when Sheila lied down and sank into it, she felt like she could sleep for days.

Farryn lied down next to her and stretched her arms and legs. “I wonder how long a trip it is to Campora for this ship.”

“Shouldn’t be too long,” Sheila said. “We can check with Captain Randal, I’m sure he’ll tell us.”

“Our situation has improved quite a bit over the past few days,” Farryn remarked.

“That’s for sure,” Sheila said.

“I wonder if there’s a bath on this ship or one nearby in Ansar that we can visit before we set sail,” Farryn said. “Goddess knows I really, really need a bath.”

“Me too,” Sheila said. Both of them were pretty dirty from their travels, and she was sure that neither of them smelled very good. “But first, I’m going to take a nice long nap.” She turned on her side and closed her eyes.


	9. Campora Again

The _Sea Sabre_ rocked gently on the ocean waves. Sheila found it soothing. The weather was sunny, so she was able to stand on the deck and take in the breeze. They didn’t sail too far out to sea, so Sheila was able to enjoy watching the landscape roll by as the ship sailed on.

Some people didn’t take to sea voyages as well she did though. It was still only the first day of their voyage, and Farryn barely seemed to leave her spot leaning against the rail on the upper deck.

“Ugh,” she said, holding her stomach. “I feel so sick.” She did look pretty pale.

“Have you never been on a boat before?” Sheila asked.

“I…have,” Farryn answered, looking miserably out at the water. “Just…not on the…ugh…open sea like this.”

“Don’t worry,” Sheila said, gently patting Farryn on the shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll get to Campora soon. We seem to be moving pretty quickly.” It was a shame Pelu wasn’t with them. She’d probably have had some potion to deal with seasickness. And Sheila hadn’t packed anything that might help her.

“Too quickly,” Farryn said, leaning over the side and retching. She had lost her lunch again. Deciding there was nothing she could do for Farryn about her nausea, Sheila left her where she was.

The crew of the _Sea Sabre_ was an interesting bunch. In addition to being sailors, most of them were also trained soldiers, so Sheila was able to get some practice, wielding Farryn’s sword as she did. A few of the crewmen were amused at the prospect of a teenage girl fighting but were impressed when they trained with her. Granted, Sheila wasn’t as skilled as Illyria or some of the other riders had been, but she was still able to hold her own.

The meals were also great. Sheila and Farryn dined with Captain Randal himself, though Farryn’s prodigious appetite seemed to have lessened a little while they were on the boat. After a rich dinner of roast duck their third day on the ship, Sheila settled back in her bed, feeling comfortably full. She was quickly asleep and dreamed that, for some reason, she was back at Hillside High, wandering the halls, looking for people, but there was nobody there. She was all alone in a place she no longer belonged, and nobody answered her cries for help.

Sheila awoke with a start and a yelp. No, she wasn’t back on Earth. She was still in the other world, the world of the unicorn queen, on a ship that was headed to Campora. Next to her, Farryn was still fast asleep. Captain Randal had ended up having some medicine available to sooth her seasickness, but in turn, it had made her very drowsy. After a few weeks of Farryn never slowing down, it was kind of funny to see her crash so hard. Getting up carefully so as to not wake her, Sheila crept out of the cabin and stepped out on to the deck to look at the stars, which were shining brilliantly in the clear night sky.

A few sailors were out on the deck keeping an eye out or performing their tasks. Others, Sheila knew, were below sleeping or eating. She saw Captain Randal on the upper deck looking over a map under a lantern and stepped up to talk with him.

“Hello there, Sheila,” Captain Randal greeted her, inclining his head some. “You will be glad to know that we shall arrive at Campora by midday tomorrow, provided the winds remain favorable.”

“That’s great,” Sheila said. She’d be back in Campora at last. It had been a long, hard road, but she had made it. “So…how is Campora lately? Have you heard anything?”

“I am simply a trader and merchant extraordinaire,” Randal said. “I don’t know if I am necessarily the best source for information, news, and gossip.”

“But you probably still know things,” Sheila insisted. “You travel a lot, right? I’ve been away from Campora for…well, some time, so I’m just curious as to what’s been going on.”

“Is that so? Well, let me see. There is talk that the Prince of Campora is worried.”

“Prince Laric?” Sheila asked. Surely he was still ruling in Campora.

“Yes,” Randal said. “Ankzar, the Emperor of Queelotoo, has annexed Samarna in the far south. Rumors are that the Prince is very concerned with this.”

“Ankzar,” Sheila said, recalling the man who had imprisoned her and Dr. Reit and Zanara-Ki. He had also wanted to marry Illyria. “He was allied with King Kumuru, right?”

“You seem to know quite a bit yourself for a mere traveler,” Randal said, smiling at her. Sheila saw, once again, that he was pretty handsome and charming when he smiled. No doubt he used that to his advantage when making business deals.

“I’ve…been around,” Sheila said. It was probably best to not say much more.

“As have I,” Randal said. “And I suppose we can both leave things at that. Anyway, yes, they were allies, but King Kumuru vanished time ago. Some in Samarna say he destroyed himself with the dark magic he practiced.”

“Is…is that so?” Sheila asked. Of course, she knew exactly what had happened to Kumuru – the so-called “Dark Gods” of his had whisked him away after Sheila had freed them – but it probably to not share that she knew all that. The story Captain Randal had repeated was technically true, anyway. “I heard…something like that.”

“As have I,” Randal said. “Anyway, when he disappeared, there was nobody to rule Samarna, so Ankzar saw an opportunity to expand his borders. He marched his huge army into Erech-ban and simply took over. His brother Tezrah now rules in his name in Samarna and has set up a very oppressive regime. Trade there is not so good now.”

Clearly, Randal was simply being humble when he said he wasn’t a good source of news. Or maybe he was just being coy. Either way, he knew more than he had let on.

“That’s terrible,” Sheila said. “But why is Prince Laric so worried about Samarna?”

“It is widely known that Ankzar is ambitious and seeks to rule the entire world,” Randal said. “Prince Laric no doubt suspects that Ankzar has set his sights on Campora next. And he would be wise to suspect that.”

_Especially since Ankzar has wanted Campora for a long time_, Sheila thought. She remembered her meeting with Prince Laric on her return trip, when he had been studying maps and trying to figure out Ankzar’s plans. But they had stopped the evil man back then and sent him packing. He was back though. What schemes was he up to now?

“It is possible,” Randal continued, interrupting Sheila’s thoughts. “That there will be no peaceful solution and that the two nations will go to war.”

“What will you do if that happens?” Sheila asked.

“War can be lucrative for some lines of business,” Randal said. “But I would rather not become some death merchant profiting from strife and chaos.”

“So then, what will you do if it comes to war?” Sheila asked again.

Randal sighed. “Make for safer waters for a time. I could sail off to Varland or Lumor, perhaps make a longer trip to the east and keep an ear out for when the fighting subsides. Though I hear there’s some trouble in Varland too. These are some potentially unrestful times. That’s bad for business, you know.”

“You could stay and help Campora,” Sheila suggested.

“I am no warrior,” Randal said. “I see you and your friend both carry arms, but I carry only my words and my goods. I sell weapons and armor at times, but I do not use them myself. I hire others to protect me and my ship and my work.”

“You don’t have to be a warrior to help,” Sheila said. “I bet a clever and knowledgeable merchant like you would be a great advisor to Prince Laric.”

“Ah, such flattery,” Randal said, chuckling. “And from such a pretty lady too. It warms my heart. Alas, I am no politician either. But I will think on what you’ve said nonetheless.”

“I know Prince Laric,” Sheila said. “I could put in a good word for you.”

“I was truly fortunate when my crew introduced me to you,” Randal said. “I have gained not only treasure but also a good friend who knows those in power. And, might I add, hopefully, a return customer.”

“You know it,” Sheila said. “Anytime you’re in port in Campora, I’ll come to see what you’re selling, and I’ll bring my friends too.”

“Even better,” Randal said with a grin. “This is how I keep my business going, after all. Ah, but please do not spread my secrets to my rival merchants, young lady.” He playfully wagged his finger at her.

“Not a word, I promise,” Sheila said. She yawned. “In fact, I should be getting back to sleep. I’m going to have a busy day tomorrow.”

* * *

The Campora docks seemed as busy and bustling as ever. Workers retrieved cargo from some ships and loaded it onto others or placed set it out for delivery into the city. And just beyond the dock wall was the great city of Campora itself, looking pretty much as Sheila remembered it. She knew Prince Laric was here; Captain Randal had confirmed that much. That meant her fellow riders were likely here too. Her stomach twisted a little with nerves, but she was also excited.

“Thank the goddess,” Farryn said as they stepped off the _Sea Sabre_ and into the dock. “It’s so good to be back on solid ground, somewhere that’s not swaying so much.”

“Do you need to sit down for a moment?” Sheila asked.

“No,” Farryn said, shaking her head. “I should be fine after walking a bit. Speaking of which, where should we go, Sheila McCarthy?”

“Straight to the palace,” Sheila said, glancing at the city of Campora and taking it all in. It was good to be back. “If Illyria and the other riders are there, that’s where they’ll be. If nothing else, hopefully at least Prince Laric will be there. He’ll be sure to help us.”

“I’ll follow your lead,” Farryn said. “After all, I’ve never been here.”

It was easier said than done though. Sheila had forgotten what a maze the Campora streets were. She went in the direction she thought the palace was in but kept getting turned around. They wandered for what seemed like hours, with Farryn simply glancing around and taking everything in as she followed Sheila. The city seemed to have grown larger and even more complex since the last time Sheila had been there. Roads went every which way, and there were large buildings Sheila hadn’t seen. It was clear that the city was making progress, but that made it even harder for Sheila to find her way to the palace.

_Well, at least it’s still daylight this time_, she thought, remembering the time she had arrived in Campora by herself and had gotten lost, only to be found by Kara, who had been a fellow rider, and her sister Lianne. Farryn patiently followed her and never complained or suggested that Sheila didn’t know where she was going (which would have been true). But at the same time, Sheila didn’t want to spend her entire day trekking through Campora. Finally, after ending up lost on a street with a row of blacksmiths, they found a guard who told them he was just returning to duty near the palace stables.

Perfect! They gratefully followed the guard until they saw the large stable that Sheila remembered from before. The old familiar smell of hay and horses hit her immediately and made her feel almost giddy with anticipation.

The huge stable that had once housed the unicorn herd, but now looked to only contain the horses used by Prince Laric, his men, and the Campora soldiers. And even then, it seemed mostly empty. Was everyone out? Sheila looked up and down the long row for unicorns and finally spotted what she sought. At the end of the last row, she saw six stalls with unicorns in them. There was Quiet Storm, Illyria’s beautiful stallion and Skyfire, Myno’s palomino. She didn’t see Darian’s unicorn Wildwing, but at the far end of the stable was Swiftfoot, Dian’s brown mare.

And tending to Swiftfoot was Dian herself.

“Dian!” Sheila called, running up to her.

Dian turned and blinked at her. “Sheila. You’re back. Again.”

“I am, and it’s good to see you, Dian,” Sheila said, smiling at her and hoping she sounded like she meant it (which she honestly did). Dian looked the same as Sheila remembered her with her thick black hair falling to her shoulders, and her piercing dark eyes.

Those eyes didn’t return Sheila’s smile though. “I thought you’d be gone for good after what happened in Ryudain, but here you are.”

“Yes. Here I am,” Sheila said. “How are you? Where’s everyone else?”

“I’m fine,” Dian said. “And everyone else is up in the palace.”

“Sounds like that’s where we should go then, Sheila McCarthy,” said Farryn, who had just come up behind Sheila.

Dian peered around Sheila at Farryn. “Who are you?”

“Dian, this is Farryn,” Sheila said. “She helped me get back. Farryn, this is Dian, one of the warriors in Illyria’s band.”

“Farryn, daughter of Ulesse, of the Evurin,” Farryn said, smiling at Dian. She bowed and tapped her chest twice. “Well-met.”

“Well-met,” Dian said. She studied Farryn but didn’t return her smile either. “You’re from the far north, aren’t you?”

“That’s correct,” Farryn said. “I am from Eavothen.”

“I’ve heard of that place,” Dian said. “But I can also tell you’re from the far north simply because of your accent.”

“Have you known any Evurin?”

“No,” Dian said. “There was a northern woman in the village I lived in as a little girl. She was from a place called Jandar.”

“Ah, yes. Yes, I know where Jandar is. It’s a territory of Eavothen. Anyway, Sheila, do you and your friend wish to catch up some more, or shall we head for the palace?”

Sheila wasn’t sure what she and Dian were – they had been fellow riders and rivals, that much was certain. But friends? Who knew? They were at least on amicable terms, Sheila hoped. They had seen very little of each other on the trip to Ryudain. The last time they’d had any real conversation whatsoever was during the incident in Samarna, and that was months ago at this point.

“It’s fine,” Dian said. “I’m sure Sheila and I will have plenty of time to speak. I’ll go find Illyria and the others. They’ll want to know that you’re here in Campora.” Dian obviously felt no need to ‘catch up’ with Sheila, whatever they were, nor did she seem to care about finding out anything else about Sheila’s companion. She turned and walked briskly out of the stable.

_So much for a warm welcome back._

The first time Sheila had returned, she had been greeted with joy by the first few people she had come across- Kara, Prince Laric, and then, later, Illyria. This time, she barely had a chance to say anything at all. Well, that could be changed. Everyone else was just a short walk away now.

For her part, Farryn didn’t seem to notice anything. She was too busy admiring the unicorns in the barn.

“They’re so beautiful,” Farryn said. “I’ve never seen one up close like this.”

“It’s even more incredible to ride them,” Sheila said.

“I don’t doubt that. Well, shall we get going? I am sure your friends are waiting for you, Sheila McCarthy.”

“Yes, come on,” Sheila said with a grin. “Let’s head up to the palace. I can’t wait to see the others.”

Sheila didn’t have to wait very long. As she and Farryn made their way out of the stable and across the palace courtyard, Sheila was greeted by a chorus of happy shouts. Some of the other unicorn riders had made their way out to welcome her, with Dian trailing behind them. Sheila saw the red-haired ex-slave Myno grinning widely at her. There was also the gentle healer, Pelu and the regal princess Nanine, who both looked elated as well. Even the usually stoic Zanara-Ki had a smile on her face. Sheila quickly found herself surrounded by her old friends. This was more like the welcome she had envisioned.

“Sheila!” Pelu exclaimed. “I could scarcely believe it when Dian said you had shown up. Welcome back!”

“Thanks, Pelu,” Sheila said. “I’m glad to be back.”

“You always seem to return to us, little one,” Myno said, slapping her back hard. Myno was as strong as ever. “Maybe you’ll actually stay this time?”

“Definitely,” Sheila said. “I don’t intend to vanish again.”

“You’re a mess, Sheila,” Nanine remarked. “I said we’d need to get you some new clothes when you got back to Campora, right? That still applies, no matter how late you arrive.”

“Of course,” Sheila replied. “I’m pretty tired of this getup.”

“Welcome back,” Zanara-Ki said. “It is good to see you, my friend.”

“It’s good to see you too, Zanara-Ki.”

“How did you get back?” Pelu asked. “And what happened? Illyria insisted you were okay, but I was still so worried…”

“It’s a long story,” Sheila said.

“So I imagine. But who’s this with you?” Pelu peered around Sheila at Farryn, who had said been standing silently off to the side while the riders had greeted Sheila.

“Ah,” Sheila said. “Everyone, this is Farryn. She’s from this world too, and she helped me get back here.”

“Farryn, daughter of Ulesse, of the Evurin,” Farryn said, bowing and tapping her chest twice. She sure seemed to like that introduction. Or maybe that was simply the way they did things where she was from.

“An Evurin? So far south?” Nanine asked, raising an eyebrow. She peered at the clasp on Farryn’s cloak. “And an apostle of the Evurin goddess at that.”

Of course, Nanine would know about the Evurin. Of all the riders, she was the best-educated. Granted, it had been forced; she hadn’t been given much of a choice about anything back when she was a royal princess.

Farryn smiled at Nanine. “I am only a disciple, not yet an apostle.”

“Ah, I see. So then, you’re not here to convert us.”

“No. Missions of conversion are only granted by the sages from the goddess’s divine guidance.”

“Missions of conversion? Is that what you call them?”

“What specifically are you referring to?” Farryn asked.

“I’m thinking of what I learned in my history lessons,” Nanine said. “I recall that one such ‘mission of conversion’ was conquering the people of Jandar.”

Now Farryn’s smile faltered a little. “That war happened before I was born.”

“It only was twenty years ago, from what I read,” Nanine said.

“Yeah, the woman in my village from Jandar said she had come south fleeing some strife,” Dian put in. “She’d never liked talking about what happened there.”

“The people of Jandar were suffering,” Farryn said simply. “We allowed the light of the goddess to shine on their kingdom and ease their suffering.”

“You use pretty words to dress up what your people really did,” Nanine said. “But I read that your apostles snuck in and murdered the King of Jandar and army officers loyal to him.”

“The King of Jandar was a corrupt and power-hungry madman who didn’t care about the suffering of his subjects,” Farryn replied. Her smile was completely gone now was replaced with a hard, serious look. “The land was better with him and his sycophants gone. And forgive me, but from what Sheila has told me, did you not recently overthrow a tyrant yourselves?”

“Um, wait,” Sheila said. This was not how her reunion with her fellow riders was supposed to go, nor was it any kind of good first impression for Farryn to make. But both Farryn and Nanine seemed to ignore her.

“That’s a bit different,” Nanine said. “We were on a mission to free the unicorns in Dynasian’s grasp. Seeing him gone, while important, was secondary.”

“And the mission of the Evurin was to see that there was peace, order, and stability in Jandar,” Farryn said. “You could hardly expect Eavothen to tolerate a hostile neighbor or one in complete chaos.”

“That’s not all you did though. You forced the worship of your goddess on the people of Jandar after marching your army in.”

“That is how the light of the goddess is spread,” Farryn said. “Again, she brings order and peace. Such was needed in Jandar. And the only ones who complained were those who longed for the days when they could live in luxury under a corrupt king while the masses toiled in poverty.”

“But that order and peace came at the end of a sword,” Nanine insisted. “And at the hands of conquerors.”

“If you ask the people of Jandar now, I imagine most would tell you their lives are far better,” Farryn said coolly.

“Even if they no longer have the choice of what gods to follow,” Nanine said.

“Stop, both of you!” Pelu said, stepping in between them. Sheila had rarely seen the gentle healer look so annoyed. First, she turned to Nanine. “Nanine, let’s not start arguments over events from far away that don’t specifically pertain to our work, especially with someone who has helped return a dear friend to us.” She then turned to Farryn. “And I’m sure our guest will acknowledge that she’s not in her homeland, that outside perspectives on things will likely be different, and that she’ll need to respect that.”

“Very well,” Nanine said stiffly. Farryn simply nodded with her face unchanging.

What had just happened? Sheila had never seen Farryn like that, so hard and serious. Usually, she seemed pretty friendly, happy-go-lucky, and a complete chatterbox. This seemed like another side of her completely. Sheila gave her a questioning glance, but it was as though her face had suddenly turned to stone.

“Now then,” Pelu said before anyone else had a chance to continue speaking. “We’re out here to celebrate Sheila’s return. All of you, come on. Yes, you too, Farryn. Let’s head up to the palace. Illyria will want to know our youngest rider has come back to us and besides, it’s nearly supper time.”

“Is Illyria busy?” Sheila asked as they began making their way toward the Campora palace.

“She and Laric are meeting with a diplomat from Varland,” Pelu said. “There’s some sort of weird trouble there that’s worrying people up there, but I haven’t heard any of the details. It’s probably magical in nature if they’re seeking Laric’s help though.”

“Varland…” Sheila said as she stepped through the palace doors some guards had opened for them. Farryn had mentioned Varland once. So had Captain Randal. What was going on there?

“Varland is in the north,” Myno said. “Remember Ryudain? It’s past there as one leaves Campora.”

“Varland is in the south to me,” Farryn remarked. She seemed to have moved on from the argument in the courtyard.

“I suppose it’s all relative,” Myno said. “Anyway, I believe they’re here looking for an alliance of sorts, but that’s going to be difficult at the moment. Laric has his own problems to deal with right now.”

“Ankzar,” Sheila said without thinking. “And his brother Tezrah and the problems they’re causing in Samarna.”

“You’ve picked up a few more magic tricks since you’ve been gone,” Pelu said, chuckling. “Among them, clairvoyance.”

“No, no,” Sheila said. “I just…heard that on the way here.”

“So, you vanish back to your world then miraculously show back up here having traveled with an Evurin in tow and seemingly informed about the goings-on,” Pelu said. “Sounds like you’ve had quite the adventure.”

“And how,” Sheila said. “I’ll be sure to tell you all of it when I can.”

“We’re going to be eating supper soon,” Nanine said. “You’ll have ample opportunity to share everything then. I look forward to hearing it as well, Sheila.”

“What happened with the unicorns after Ryudain?” Sheila asked. “I saw them down in the stables, so they must have come back from the wild, right?”

“They did,” said Myno. “But not easily.”

“What do you mean?” Sheila asked.

“I’ll let Illyria explain that one,” Myno said. “Suffice to say, it’s going to be harder to recruit new riders from this point on since we only have a few unicorns now and no good way to get any others. Maybe that’s for the best. I don’t know.”

Sheila wondered again what had happened to Morning Star. Had she truly run off into the wild, never to return? Had she stayed there because Sheila had left her? Sheila could only hope she was okay (though she knew Morning Star was more than capable of taking care of herself) and resolved to worry more about that matter later. She had something else on her mind – someone hadn’t been present in the rush of folks to welcome her back to Campora.

“Where is Darian, by the way?” Sheila asked. Had Wildwing not returned from Ryudain either?

“I’m surprised you didn’t ask about him immediately,” Pelu said, giving her a knowing smile.

“He is out on a scouting mission,” Myno answered. “As were the rest of us until early this afternoon. He should be back before we finish our evening meal though.”

“Scouting for what?” Sheila asked.

“Trouble,” Nanine said. “Illyria will tell you more, I’m sure.”

Sheila would have a lot to talk about with Illyria. She followed the rest of her fellow riders down the palace hallway and into the great banquet hall where she had eaten so many meals before. All along the large table, palace servants were bringing plates out of the kitchen and setting them down. The smell was heavenly. The dinner back at Otho and Belba’s farmhouse had been wonderful, as had the rich meals with Captain Randal, but Sheila knew this meal would be even better because she was back among her friends.

Sheila was about to sit down when Illyria and Laric entered the room, accompanied by a man Sheila didn’t recognize. Illyria looked as beautiful as ever, if perhaps a bit tired. Without regard for protocol, Sheila dashed over to her, excited to see the unicorn queen once more.

“Illyria!” she cried.

“Sheila,” Illyria said, looking flummoxed. She recovered quickly though and threw her arms around Sheila and hugged her tightly.

“It’s great to see you again,” Sheila said.

“I told you I never truly say good-bye to any of my riders,” Illyria said as she released her.

“You were right,” Sheila said. “And…I don’t want to have to ever think about saying good-bye again.”

“Oh?”

“I mean that I don’t want to leave again,” Sheila said. “I want to stay here and be a warrior and a fellow rider and follow you again.”

Illyria looked a little surprised. Sheila hadn’t expected that.

“You most certainly have a place here,” Illyria said. “But are you sure about this, Sheila? You seemed to constantly long for home before.”

“I have never been more certain about anything,” Sheila said.

“Then I welcome you back once more,” Illyria said. “For good this time.”

“Ah, our world-traversing warrior returns,” Laric said. “Welcome back to Campora, Sheila.”

“Thank you, Prince Laric,” Sheila said. “Are the rest of your men here?”

“Yes, they should be joining us shortly. Please, sit down, you look famished. I know I am. Long meetings leave one almost as hungry as training does.” He gestured to the man next to him. “Ah, Sheila. This is Juvo, a diplomat from Varland. Juvo, this is Sheila, a good friend who also comes from far away.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Sheila said.

“Likewise,” Juvo replied. He looked like a distinguished person, dressed in dark green robes and a matching hat, pretty much what one would expect a diplomat to look like.

“Juvo is going to join us for dinner before he returns,” Laric said.

“Ah, someone else is going to join us too, if that’s alright,” Sheila said. She called Farryn over. “Illyria, Laric, this is Farryn, a friend who’s helped me along the way.”

Farryn made the same introduction that she always did. Illyria and Laric bowed in return.

“Greetings, Evurin,” Laric said. “Any friend of Sheila is a friend of ours. Be welcome at our table.”

“Thank you, your majesties,” Farryn said.

“No, no need to be so formal,” Laric said. “I-”

But Laric was interrupted by some loud ruckus before he could continue. Sheila looked over and saw the source of the commotion – the rest of Laric’s men had entered the dining hall. She saw Cam with his fair hair, Atmar with his thick red beard, plus Gebart, and all the others she knew from before. She even saw a man named Ansom – wasn’t he married to Kara’s sister Lianne now?

“Welcome back,” Laric said loudly to his men. “I’m sure we have much to discuss, but we can get to that in due time. We have something to celebrate – our friend Sheila has come back to us. Please, everyone, sit and eat.” Some of Laric’s men waved at Sheila before taking their seats, and Sheila waved back.

It was a full hall with, all of Laric’s men, all of the unicorn riders, plus Farryn and Juvo the Varland diplomat seated at the large table. Sheila found herself squeezed near the head of the table with Illyria on one side of her and Farryn on the other. The banquet hall rang with the chatter of everyone in it, and Sheila felt content. Everything was almost perfect; there was just one small thing missing.

“Darian still isn’t here,” Sheila said to Illyria after they had eaten some.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back,” Illyria said. “His assigned route took him a little farther from Campora than some others’ did.”

“You’re giving him more responsibility,” Sheila said, smiling, wondering what sort of route Darian was following and what for.

“He’s shown that he can handle it,” Illyria said. “Most of the time, anyway.”

Sheila chuckled, and Illyria smiled at her.

“Speaking of coming back,” Illyria said. “I’m curious as to how exactly you returned to us and all that happened since last we saw you. Did your teacher Dr. Reit send you once again?”

“Not exactly,” Sheila said. “It’s a long story.”

“Well, we’re willing to listen if you’re willing to share, Sheila.”

“Yes,” Pelu said from her place across the table. “Please, tell us!”

Some others took up the cry. “Tell us, tell us!”

So, as they ate, Sheila related to everyone what had happened since the night in Ryudain, with Farryn occasionally jumping in. As before, she didn’t tell every last detail – she wasn’t sure that her fellow riders needed to hear about her being upset with Dr. Reit for example – but told almost everything else. When she got to the part about the ruins they had found, Farryn took over the narration some. Sheila told the rest from there: how they finally, somehow, ended up in Ansar and from there found a ship to take to Campora.

“It’s good to know things continue to go well in Ansar,” Illyria said. “The rest of the Sareen seemed decent enough, even if their leader was a snake.”

“The people in Ansar still seemed to think Nemor was some kind of hero,” Sheila said. “It was strange.”

“Sometimes reality and the tales that get told afterward don’t always quite up,” Illyria said.

“I guess,” Sheila said. “Still it was good that the people in Ansar were doing better. I guess a lot happened there after we left it.”

“Yes,” Illyria said. “And a lot more happened still during the time you’ve been gone.”

Sheila didn’t doubt that for a minute. She was about to ask Illyria about the matters Myno and Nanine had mentioned – the unicorns and whatever trouble the riders were investigating – but before she could say anything, someone’s voice cut through the chatter and caught her attention.

“Sheila.”

Sheila looked up at the sound of her name. Illyria’s brother Darian had just entered the dining hall and was giving her a blank look.


	10. Reunion

Sheila wished she had planned what exactly to say for this moment. She’d had so much time to do so, but now that it was finally here, she had no idea what to say.

“Darian…” she said.

“Welcome…welcome back,” Darian said. His straight brown hair fell around his face, and his dark eyes showed little emotion. He looked tired and sweaty and as though he hadn’t even changed after coming back from his mission. “I guess Illyria was right when she told me we hadn’t truly said good-bye to you.”

“I told you to listen well, little brother,” Illyria said, moving her chair over to make room for him. “Here, why don’t you sit down?”

Darian pulled up a chair to the table between Sheila and Illyria. A servant brought him a plate of food, but he didn’t touch it. He simply stared at Sheila as though trying to decide if she was actually there or not. What had happened? It wasn’t like him to suddenly go silent.

Then it occurred to her: maybe Darian didn’t know what to say either. Maybe he also was wishing he had planned for this moment. It would be on her to say something.

“It’s good to see you,” Sheila said, figuring she might as well start with a basic pleasantry. She saw that he was wearing a vest of leather armor that suited him. He must have worn it while out scouting.

“Likewise,” Darian said. “I, uh, had wondered about what happened to you ever since that night…”

“You mean in Ryudain?” Sheila asked.

“Well, I’m pretty clear on what happened there,” Darian said. “I mean the night we returned to Campora, and you used your magic to talk with Illyria and me from your world. I wondered if I would hear from you again. But then I didn’t.”

“I tried,” Sheila said, remembering the horrible second night she’d been back when she’d lied awake staring at nothing. “But it wouldn’t work.”

“Even though some magic went with you?”

“You know magic is unpredictable,” Sheila said, repeating Micula’s words.

“So are you sometimes,” Darian said sadly.

“I’m sorry,” Sheila said, feeling her throat tighten some. Their reunion wasn’t supposed to be so melancholy. “Please…Darian…”

“No, I’m sorry,” Darian said. “That wasn’t fair. I’m worn out. Zonked, as you would put it. It’s been a long day. It’s been a lot of long days, now that I think about it.”

“I bet,” Sheila said, touched that he remembered the word ‘zonked’ that she had once taught him. “Nanine and Myno both mentioned there’s been some trouble. I want to help everyone as best I can. I want to help you. Darian. I mean to stay here. Permanently.”

For the first time, Darian’s expression seemed to change some, and a little life returned to his face. “Stay here for good? You mean in this world? In Campora?”

“Yes,” Sheila said. “Darian, I-”

“Ooh, pie!” Farryn suddenly exclaimed next to her. The servants were already bringing in desserts and setting them on the table. There were pies of pretty much every flavor – apple, blueberry, and raspberry, among them – and the sight of them seemed to wake up Farryn’s sweet tooth.

“Best eat your meal, little brother,” Illyria urged Darian. “Before all the food is gone.”

“Illyria’s right,” Sheila said. “You should eat. You look hungry.”

“You promise won’t vanish on me before the meal’s over?” Darian asked with a trace of a smile now appearing.

Sheila smiled back at him, taking the joke in turn. “I promise, no disappearing acts until after dinner.”

“Well, alright then.” And with that, Darian dug into his dinner while Sheila had some of the delicious pie. She took the chance to fill him in a little while he was eating on everything that had happened since he had missed her telling it all at dinner. He had raised his eyebrow when Sheila described how Farryn’s book had sent them back to the land of the unicorn queen and shook his head when Sheila described their scary encounter in the ruins in the wilds. Sheila was glad he felt similarly as she did. When Farryn jumped in to talk about how fascinating and exciting she’d found the whole thing, Darian rolled his eyes a little at her.

The meal went on, and what little daylight was left faded away as the windows in the great dining hall went dark. After the table was cleared, Sheila found herself still in conversation with both Darian and Farryn, talking a little more about their adventures on the way to Campora. This was all well and good, but it wasn’t quite she wanted had been looking for She tugged on the sleeve of Darian’s tunic to get his attention.

“Darian,” Sheila said. “Do you have a moment? I wanted to speak with you some.”

“You are speaking with me,” Darian pointed out. “We’ve been speaking for a while now.”

“I know that!” Sheila said. Sheila was fond of him but had almost forgotten how insufferable he could be sometimes. “I mean…you know, alone.”

“Ah.” On her other side, Farryn caught the hint. “Please excuse me then.” She got up and stepped away from them and went to talk with Dian and Illyria.

“Alright,” Darian said. Sheila started to open her mouth, but he held his hand to stop her. “Now that I think on it, not in here. Follow me.”

They made their way to an adjacent hallway, where the noise of the dining hall seemed distant and muffled. The torches were lit up and down it, but it still seemed dim after the brightness of the dining hall. Thankfully, it didn’t look any guards were currently on duty in it, so Sheila and Darian had it entirely to themselves. Next to a window that overlooked the palace gardens, Darian turned and faced her.

“Okay, here we are,” Darian. “Let’s talk.”

“Why out here?” Sheila asked.

“Fewer ears,” Darian said. “More privacy.”

“Fair enough,” Sheila said. “I just wanted to talk about…you know, us, me being back, and what it all means.”

“I know you didn’t mean to leave like you did the second time, but it hurt,” Darian said. Apparently, he wanted to get that issue right out in the open. That was fine by Sheila. The sooner they talked about this, the better.

“It hurt me too,” Sheila said. “I had to protect Dr. Reit, but I didn’t mean to just vanish from the world.”

“I figured that much,” Darian. “And so I waited. And waited some more. It’s been more than two months since that night.”

“I’m sorry for making you wait.”

“You should be. But honestly, I would have waited even longer for you.”

“Oh, Darian…”

“I told you you’d find your back to us, someway, somehow,” Darian said.

“And just like Illyria, you were right,” Sheila replied.

“Of course I am,” Darian said. “I’m always right.”

“Darian,” Sheila began, looking up at him. “This time…this time, I….”

“This time you what?”

“This time, I want things to be different.”

“Different how?” Darian asked.

“I mean, without all the coming and going. I know it’s been hard on you, and it’s been hard on me too.” She was babbling, she realized, but she kept going all the same. “As soon as I was home, I realized that I was entirely in the wrong place. I told Dr. Reit so.”

“Was Dr. Reit okay with you returning?” Darian asked. “Is he okay with you staying here?”

Sheila shook her head. “He doesn’t know I came back. I mean, he might now, I don’t know. But I left without telling him beforehand. I know he wasn’t okay with me making another trip here, he said that much when we talked.”

“But you came back anyway.”

“I had to,” Sheila said. “I left without saying any kind of proper good-bye. And I figured out that I truly belong here. And I missed everyone so much.” She smiled and teasingly added “Even you.”

“Of course you did,” Darian said. “How could you not miss me?”

“Although maybe I was mistaken there,” Sheila said, still teasing.

“Always going back and forth,” Darian said. “Tsk, tsk. You’re such a flighty girl, Sheila McCarthy.”

“I am not!” Sheila shot back.

“Are too. You left so quickly last time that you even forgot your sword.”

“My sword!” Sheila exclaimed. “You…kept it?”

“I did,” Darian confirmed. “Of course, it used to be my sword. Maybe I just wanted it back.”

“You wanted something to remember me by, is that it?”

“Oh, I already have something for that,” Darian said. He held up his wrist, which still had Sheila’s old Mickey Mouse watch on it. Mickey grinned up at her as his hands ticked the time away, a reminder of the world she had left behind.

“I’m glad you still have that after all this time,” Sheila said.

“I would never lose it,” Darian said. “Just like I would never lose my sword, unlike some warriors. How have you been traveling without one, anyway?”

“Farryn let me borrow hers. I guess now I can give it back to her.”

“Speaking of your new best friend, I overheard at dinner that she started an argument in the courtyard,” Darian said.

“She’s become a pretty good friend, but I don’t know about best friend,” Sheila said, thinking of Cookie. “There was an argument though. What a headache. It was awkward. I’m glad Pelu was there to calm things down.”

“The Evurin are fanatics,” Darian said. “That’s what I’ve heard, anyway.”

“Farryn is devoted to her goddess, that’s for sure.”

“Meaning she’d probably do pretty much anything if she thought her goddess wanted her to.”

“I don’t know if she’d go that far,” Sheila said, though Farryn’s earlier conversation with Nanine made her wonder about that. “Still, who knows? Maybe she would.”

“Sounds kind of scary.”

Sheila couldn’t help but tease him some more. “Oh, are you afraid of her now?”

Darian laughed at that. “No, not really. There’s just one of her, after all. The rest of the Evurin are half a world away, or however far it is to where they live.”

“And she plans on going back there as soon she can,” Sheila pointed out.

“That’s probably for the best,” Darian said. His face suddenly took on a serious look. “What about you, Sheila? Do you mean it when you say you’re staying this time? Or are you planning on up and leaving again?”

“Darian,” Sheila said. “I meant everything I said. And I’ll say it as many times as necessary until you believe me. This is where I belong. With you. With everyone. I’m done being divided between two places. I’ve made my choice.”

“Good,” Darian said. A smile returned to his face, a genuine one that made Sheila’s heart flutter a little. “I’m glad to hear that. I want to be with you too.”

“Besides,” Sheila said. “Even if I wanted to, there’s no way for me to return this time.”

“Really? You don’t think Dr. Reit will come looking for you?”

“He might,” Sheila admitted. “But even if he does, I’ll stand pat and tell him that this is where I’m staying.”

“What if he tries to force you to go back with him?”

“Oh, Dr. Reit wouldn’t do that,” Sheila said. “He’s not that kind of person.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Darrian wrapped his arms around her. “But if he tries, I’ll protect you.”

Sheila smiled up at him. “Do you think I’m someone who needs protecting?”

“Maybe sometimes,” Darian said. “Like when you go messing around with crazy magic.”

Was he talking about the time she’d cast a spell of protection back in the Tomai village? Or the two different times she had used magic to move between worlds? Well, that didn’t matter. He did have a bit of a point.

“I’ll be more careful with my messing around in the future,” Sheila said.

“Well, don’t be too cautious,” Darian said, his face leaning closer to hers. “The Sheila I know always seemed to have a dash of recklessness in her.”

“If I’ve got a dash, then you’ve got a whole bucketful,” Sheila said playfully back to him, leaning in as well.

“Sometimes we’ve got to be reckless,” Darian said. And then suddenly he was kissing her. She threw her arms around his neck in turn.

Darian had kissed her before, but there was something that made this one even more special.

It was the kind of kiss she knew she’d always remember, passionate, but also warm and familiar. For a moment, it seemed like there was nothing else in the world except for her and Darian. Everything else – the Campora palace, the people around them, whatever – was gone and simply didn’t matter. A pleasant feeling swelled up inside her. Nothing could compare to this. Nothing at all.

This was why she had returned. Was this love? It felt like it. It was like everything wonderful in the entire world, the entire universe, everything and-

“Ahem.”

The sound of someone clearing their throat startled Sheila out of her moment. She let go of Darian and turned around. Illyria was giving her a serious look, and Farryn was standing just behind her, looking apologetic and a little uncomfortable.

“I’m sorry Sheila,” Farryn said. “I tried to tell her that you might be…er, occupied, but…”

“It’s fine,” Sheila said, her face feeling hot. Darian looked away as well.

“I’m sorry as well for interrupting,” Illyria said. She didn’t seem at all bothered by the scene. “But I do need to speak with you, Sheila.”

“Ah, yes,” Sheila said, still feeling flustered. “Of course, Illyria. What is it?”

“As you are once again one of my riders, I must inform you a little of what’s been going,” Illyria said. “You remember Samarna? Well, there are serious problems down there.”

“I heard,” Sheila said. “Ankzar took it over and put his brother Tezrah in charge. And now he’s eyeing Campora.”

“Ah,” Illyria said. “I hadn’t realized someone already filled you in about that.”

“I kind of heard it as I was making my way to Campora.”

“I see. Well, that will make this a little shorter. Both the other riders and Laric’s men have been scouting the southernmost part of the empire. Do you remember Lord Toron Medlian? He’s spotted suspicious people crossing the border now and then. Most are just refugees fleeing Samarna. But not all – some of those who cross end up going back and probably not because they changed their mind about fleeing Tezrah.”

“Spies?” Sheila asked.

“Or scouts of Tezrah,” Illyria said. “He might be trying to figure out the best way to invade. So, we’ve been searching the lands all around Campora and beyond, making sure Tezrah and Ankzar aren’t trying anything.”

“That’s where I was,” Darian said. “I’ll need to deliver my full report to Laric, but Illyria, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary on my route.”

Illyria shook her head. “It’s been too quiet over the past week.”

“Maybe we’re just looking in the wrong places,” Darian said.

“Oh?”

“I mean, maybe we should be sending people into Samarna itself.”

“Tezrah and Ankzar would no doubt see that as a provocation and use it as an excuse to immediately invade with their full power,” Illyria said.

“But if they’re planning on doing that anyway…”

Illyria chuckled. “You may have a point for once, little brother. Anyway, Sheila, now that you’re back with us, you will be involved in this as well.”

Sheila straightened herself up. “I’m ready to help with whatever needs to be done.”

“Good girl. But you’ll need a unicorn if you’re going to ride with us again.”

“Right,” Sheila said. “But I don’t know how I’m going to manage that.”

“I do,” Illyria said. “Micula is here at the palace, up in the tower room. She’s been advising Laric on some matters. I want you to go and meet with her.”

“What does Micula have to do with riding a unicorn?” Sheila asked.

“When the unicorns renewed their magic, they didn’t show much desire to return with us,” Illyria said. “I almost left them to the wilds until Pelu’s returned to her with Micula’s help. Micula said that the surge of magic that the moon had granted them made them less inclined to be…domesticated, I guess. That it had made them yearn more to stay in the wilds. But she also said that we riders needed to stay with ours. That it was important.”

“Well, I can see why you’d want them to stay with you,” Sheila said.

“Indeed,” Illyria said. “Anyway, you’ll have to find Morning Star or another unicorn, Sheila. To that end, Micula will assist you as she did the rest of us.”

“Well, I’d definitely want it to be Morning Star,” Sheila said. “I can’t imagine riding a different unicorn.”

“You may not have a choice,” Illyria said. “But again, speak with Micula about it. She’ll be able to guide you.”

“Go on,” Darian urged Sheila. “You and I will have time to…talk more later. You don’t want to keep a powerful sorceress waiting, after all.”

That caught Farryn’s attention. “Oh, a powerful sorceress? Really?”

“Yep,” Sheila said. “My old teacher, Micula. I told you about her.”

“You did. May I come and see her with you?” Farryn asked. “There are a few things I’d like to ask her.”

“Sure,” Sheila said. That beat seeing Micula alone, anyway. Even though Sheila wasn’t as unnerved by her as she had originally been, Micula was still kind of scary. She began walking down the hallway toward the tall tower where she knew Micula stayed, gesturing for Farryn to follow her.

“Wait,” Illyria said. Sheila stopped and turned around. “One more thing. I would like for you to continue your lessons with Micula, so please speak with her about that and ask her if she is willing to continue teaching you.”

Sheila wasn’t too excited by that prospect. “My sorcery lessons?”

“Yes,” Illyria said. “Of everyone in my band, you’ve shown the most potential to work with magic. Pelu has some skill, of course, but only when it comes to healing and things related to that. You’ve already shown that you’re skilled with magic from both this world and the other. None of my other warriors can claim that.”

“I…see,” Sheila stammered. She gulped. “Alright, I’ll speak to her about that too.”

“Good luck!” Darian called after her. Sheila gave him a shrug, and he winked back at her as she started off again down the palace hallway. She missed him a little already.


	11. A New Mission

_It’s probably better to just go ahead and get this over with_, she thought. Dealing with Micula was unsettling at the best of times, not the least bit because she could always read Sheila’s mind so easily (would she pick up on what had just happened between her and Darian? That would sure be embarrassing). But on the other hand, Sheila reminded herself that Micula was ultimately good and not evil. And, at the very least, Micula would help her find a unicorn (_Morning Star_, she thought, _it has to be Morning Star_) that she could ride again.

“You looked you were enjoying yourself back there,” Farryn said, matching Sheila’s pace down the hallway and smiling at her.

“Yeah,” Sheila said simply. “I was, uh, very happy to see Darian again.”

“I noticed. It seemed like he was happy to see you too.”

Sheila felt her face grow red. “Can we talk about something else, please?”

“Ah, forgive me. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. But I am glad for you, Sheila McCarthy.”

“Uh…thanks. Come on, Micula’s waiting.”

“Yes. This is my first chance to find out about the book and the thing from the ruins,” Farryn said as they climbed the tower stairs. “Ordinarily, I’d have gone to one of the sages or scholars back in Eavothen, but of course that’s not an option right now. They know a lot, and I’m sure your sorceress teacher knows a lot too. People who study magic are usually well-learned when it comes to all sorts of lore…” Farryn continued to chatter on and on, and Sheila half paid attention.

She wasn’t sure what to make of Farryn now. She had known Farryn was strongly devoted to her goddess. And her people were too. But she had still never seen Farryn as a crazy religious zealot or something. She wasn’t like the preachers you’d seem sometimes on street corners or on TV, screaming about fire and brimstone (and usually asking for money). For Farryn, her religiousness seemed to be limited to mentioning her goddess (a lot) and praying to her (also a lot).

At the same time, Farryn’s whole demeanor had changed when she had discussed the Evurin with Nanine, and she had spoken with the calm certainty that whatever her people had done in the name of their goddess was warranted. Did she apply that line of thought to everything she did, as Darian had suggested? Sheila now understood that maybe ‘conversion’ meant something slightly different to Farryn than it did to others. That was kind of scary. And did she think it was okay for her people to go conquer other nations?

On the other hand, Farryn had been nothing but friendly and helpful to Sheila. Sheila would never have made it back to Campora without her. Sure, she liked to talk a lot, and she tended to act without thinking, but she always seemed to mean well at least.

_She’s been a good friend to me_, Sheila thought. _And I wouldn’t be here without her. Maybe she’s just a product of her society. If what Darian said is any indication, the rest of her people probably believe as she does._

When they reached the top of the tower staircase, Sheila knocked on the familiar wooden door, and it opened without her touching or anyone behind it. This was Micula’s doing, of course, but Sheila knew it was nothing more than a mere parlor trick compared to the true power she possessed. She and Farryn stepped inside the tower room, which was empty except for Micula, who looked the same as ever, with her jet-black hair and dark eyes and clad in blue robes.

“Hello again, Micula,” Sheila greeted her.

“Hello again, Sheila,” Micula said as though they had seen each only the previous day. “I never got a chance to tell you what an impressive spell of protection you cast back at the waterfall in Ryudain.”

“Thank you,” Sheila said, knowing it was rare to receive any kind of compliment from Micula. “I didn’t quite mean for it to do everything it did though.”

“Indeed,” Micula. “Still, I’m glad my lessons at least seemed to stick for that moment.” She peered over Sheila’s shoulder at Farryn. “Ah, I see you’ve brought someone with you.”

“Farryn, daughter of Ulesse, of the Evurin,” Farryn said, bowing and tapping her chest twice. “Greetings, great sorceress.”

Micula glanced at the clasp on Farryn’s cloak just as Nanine had done. “You seem a bit young to be an apostle of your goddess. Or are you still in training?”

Of course, Micula knew about the Evurin just like Nanine. But then, Sheila thought there probably wasn’t much that Micula didn’t know.

“I’m only a disciple,” Farryn said. “I came with Sheila seeking wisdom and insight from you.”

“Did you? And what do you wish to know?”

“This came from some ruins Sheila and I stumbled on,” Farryn said, pulling the little jeweled trinket out of her satchel. “I’m pretty sure it’s magical but I can’t tell exactly what it is. I was hoping you would be able to tell me about it.” She handed it over to Micula.

“Hmmm, it’s a dampener,” Micula said, examining the trinket. “A very old one, but still functioning.”

“What does it do?” Sheila asked.

“It slows the flow of magic around it,” Micula said. She turned to Farryn. “You say you found this in some ruins?”

“Yes,” Farryn said, nodding. “There was a very old skeleton in some armor that had it.”

“It’s likely whoever carried it hoped it would protect them from whatever was in that place,” Micula said.

“I guess it didn’t work,” Sheila said. Considering their encounter with the things in there, it was lucky that she and Farryn hadn’t joined that dead knight. “For them or us.”

“It only slows and obscures magic,” Micula said. “It doesn’t stop it entirely, nor does it provide any other sort of protection. And those powerful enough in magic can bypass its effects anyway.”

“Is that why I couldn’t summon you?” Sheila asked. “Or Illyria?”

“Did you try?” Micula asked. “If you did and failed to do so, then either you’re a bit out of practice or this dampener blocked your attempt. Or perhaps both.”

“I see.” Sheila shot an annoyed look at Farryn. Why did she have to take that thing from the ruins with her?

“Interesting,” Farryn said, studying the dampener. If she caught any hint of Sheila’s annoyance, she didn’t show it. “I bet some of the sages at home would love to study this little thing as well. I’m glad we didn’t leave it lying there.”

“I suppose, in the right situations, it might have its uses,” Micula said. “Ah, but you have something else you wish you to show me, don’t you, servant of the goddess of light?”

“Yes,” Farryn said, pulling the out the ancient book that had returned them to the land of the unicorn queen. “I was wondering if you’d also perhaps know anything about this.”

Micula took the book from Farryn and studied it closely. She flipped through the pages until she came upon the one that showed the weird glyph and the picture that now showed the door frame of the Molecular Acceleration Transport Device above it. “This is unusual. Where did you find it?”

“In a cave under a mountain,” Farryn said. “It was inside an altar near a stone archway. I think it’s used to open portals to other places. It opened a portal into Sheila’s world and sent me there…and over there, we used it to open a door back to this one.”

“That appears to be what it does,” Micula said, still studying the book. “Whoever created this book imbued it with a strong power, one that’s lasted long after its creator has left this world. It seems it can only create a door where one already is, however. The book is more akin to a key in that manner.”

Sheila kind of followed what Micula was saying, but suddenly it made sense to her that they had been able to use the book to open a portal with the Molecular Accelerator Transport Device. Her intuition then had been right.

“What do the words in it say?” Farryn asked. “Can you read them?”

“They’re not for humans to speak,” Micula said. “Think of them as…oh, a set of instructions for the book itself to follow when it opens a portal.”

“Like computer code!” Sheila blurted out, thinking of her father’s line of work.

“Computer…code?” Farryn asked, looking at Sheila and tilting her head.

“Ah, it’s something from my world,” Sheila said. “Never mind.”

Farryn turned back to Micula. “Why did the book open a portal to Sheila’s world?”

“The book’s text says nothing of doing anything like that,” Micula said. “So, I don’t think that was ever its purpose. Rather, it simply opened the portal under that archway you found. As to how that came about, I cannot say, but I doubt the builders of that archway intended to open a portal to another world either.”

“Just like Dr. Reit,” Sheila mused.

“So why did the arch do that anyway, then?” Farryn asked.

“It may be that there was a large amount of uncontrollable magic around it,” Micula said. “Such magic can do incredible and unexpected things…as you both know.”

“And how,” Sheila muttered.

“There was a weird lake there,” Farryn said. “And it felt strange. It would be amazing if I could back into that cave, but the entrance was probably covered up after an earthquake. There might be no way to find it again.”

“That might be for the best,” Micula said. Sheila was kind of amused that she seemed to have the same perspective Dr. Reit might have had.

“Either way, I’ll be sure to tell the sages all this when I get back home,” Farryn said. “Is that all that’s in the book?”

“Essentially,” Micula said, closing it and handing it back to Farryn. “Best be careful with those things you’re carrying around. Both of them have the potential to be highly dangerous, as you’ve already seen.”

“Well, one can’t find roc eggs without also finding a roc, as they say.”

Micula peered at her. “Is that so? Do you see yourself as some sort of treasure hunter, then?”

“I like the idea of that,” Farryn admitted. “But…well, mostly I just can’t help collecting interesting things that I find.”

“Best be careful,” Micula said. “Or the next ‘interesting thing’ you collect might bring about your end.”

“Of course,” Farryn said, though Sheila doubted she’d sincerely take that advice. Farryn put away both the dampener and the book and bowed her head again. “Thank you very much for your time and your wisdom, great sorceress.”

Micula didn’t answer but instead turned to Sheila. “Well, I believe Illyria sent you to me for a reason?”

“Yes,” Sheila said. “She wants me to head north of Campora and find Morning Star. She told me to seek your help on how to do that.”

“I see,” Micula said. “Almost all of the unicorns returned to the wild after Ryudain. It took great efforts from the other riders to bring their unicorns back to Campora.”

“Myno mentioned something about that…” Sheila said.

“Yes,” Micula said. “And we’ll get to that in a moment. In the meantime, there is more that Illyria wants from you than to simply become one of her riders again, isn’t there?”

Of course, Micula picked up everything. She could always know exactly what Sheila was thinking. “Now that I’m back and part of her band for good, Illyria wanted…well, she was hoping…um…”

Micula finished for her. “She was hoping you’d continue to learn sorcery from me so you could use such in the support of her and the rest of your fellow warriors.”

“Yes,” Sheila said, suddenly feeling small.

“And is this what you want, Sheila?”

That was a good question that Sheila hadn’t even considered. Well, who wouldn’t want to learn magic? You could do amazing, incredible things. Just look at some of the magic Micula was capable of.

On the other hand, it was also unnerving. Sheila knew that magic changed a person – it had changed her some, and it had probably changed Micula far, far more. It was also extremely difficult. Sheila had attempted two months of lessons before and had only achieved limited success. There was no guarantee she’d be able to build on what she had accomplished before. Finally, magic was dangerous.

“Magic is indeed dangerous,” Micula said, picking up Sheila’s thoughts. “But, at the same time, when its practitioner is properly trained, it can be just another tool, like a sword or a bow.”

“Well, with swords and bows, it’s also easier to tell what’s going to happen,” Sheila said. “You once said a fundamental rule of magic is that it’s unpredictable.”

“With experience, you can learn to mitigate that factor somewhat, and that’s something I can help you with,” Micula said. “But again, is this what you want, Sheila? Think carefully before you answer.”

Sheila thought a little more. Illyria wanted her to learn magic, but she needed more of a reason to take it up simply because Illyria had asked her to. Maybe magic could be something for her to challenge herself with in this new life. Being a warrior, while tough, had eventually started to come to her fairly easily. Maybe magic would be worth doing because it would be difficult for her to do. She recalled Dr. Reit once saying something about challenging oneself. He’d probably approve of this, at least, that part. And maybe, with time, Sheila would be able to do amazing things just like Micula had with more tools in her arsenal.

“Yes,” Sheila said, hoping she didn’t sound timid. “I want to learn. I know it’ll be difficult, but if it will help Illyria and everyone else, then I think it’s worth it.”

“Then I shall teach you once again,” Micula said. “Though I warn you, the lessons will be harder than ever before, though perhaps not as consistent, given the tumultuous times we now find ourselves in.”

“Maybe we could start with something other than the spell of protection this time?” Sheila suggested hopefully.

“Now that Mardock isn’t a threat, I suppose we could begin with other things,” Micula said.

“Mardock is really gone, then?” Sheila asked, hopeful. The world was better off without him in it.

“I didn’t say that, I said that he isn’t a threat,” Micula said. “It’s hard to say if that one is truly gone or not. Few could have survived being gored by a unicorn like Quiet Storm, struck with the full might of the moon’s power, and then thrown into the Caolin River as it raged. It may be that his power was broken that night, but Mardock was like few other people.”

“Oh,” Sheila said, feeling a little disappointed. She had hoped she would be able to confirm that Mardock was dead. What had happened to him?

“Regardless,” Micula said. “Dead or otherwise, he is no longer a concern of ours. There are other matters to attend to. Let’s return to the first reason Illyria sent you to see me.”

“Yes,” Sheila said. “A unicorn. Is…is it going to be possible for me to find Morning Star again?”

“It is hard to say,” Micula said. “After Ryudain, the unicorns seemed unwilling to abandon the wilds. The surge of magic in them made them want to run free more than anything. Is it possible that even if you find Morning Star she will not wish to go back to things being as they were before.”

“Oh,” Sheila said, feeling sharply disappointed. She had loved Morning Star. Still, there was that old saying about how, if you loved someone, you had to set them free. “Then, I’ll have to find a different unicorn, won’t I? One that’s willing to leave the wilds and let me ride it?”

“Let’s see if we can find Morning Star first,” Micula said. “You had a strong connection with her – a connection that was strong enough to once bridge worlds, as I recall. I imagine that connection hasn’t completely vanished. I’ll help you this time.”

“I’ll begin by grounding myself,” Sheila said.

“It’s good to see you remember the basics,” Micula said dryly.

Sheila sat on the floor and lied back. She stayed still and tried to make her body feel very relaxed.

“Close your eyes and concentrate,” Micula commanded her. “Feel the world around you. The magic that is in all of us, that binds the very world together.”

Sheila did just that. She suddenly felt as though she could sense nothing but the presence of Micula and Farryn. She could hear that quiet breathing and their hearts beating.

“Now, reach out,” Micula said. “Call to Morning Star, and listen for her to call back to you.”

“Morning Star…” Sheila whispered softly, thinking of the lovely mare with her gleaming white coat, black mane, and matching horn.

At first, there was only the same weird fog that she had seen when she tried the summoning spell back in the wilds. Then the mist suddenly seemed to clear. Sheila saw a mountain peak rising into the sky majestically. Below, a mighty waterfall thundered with a raw, powerful force. This was Ryudain. Sheila let the vision guide her – it was as though she was flying over the land, above the trees, with the mountains on one side of her and the sea on the other. Finally, somewhere, she saw a unicorn galloping through the woods, moving like the wind.

Sheila sat up with a start.

“I saw her!” Sheila exclaimed. “And I felt her…she’s still in the wilds…north of Campora. Far north. Almost where we left her, I think.”

“Your connection is strong,” Micula said. “And so, your path is laid out before you. You must venture there, seek her out, and see if she will accept you as her rider once again.”

“I’ll do it,” Sheila said with determination. “I know searching for her won’t be easy, but…”

“Perhaps your fellow riders will aid you in this endeavor,” Micula suggested. “Illyria is busy with her own matters, but I imagine some of the others would no doubt be glad to assist.”

“I’ll help too!” Farryn said. “Sheila’s done a lot for me, after all.”

“Best leave that dampener in Campora, then,” Micula said dryly. “Its presence would make things more difficult and complicated for Sheila.”

“Ah, yes, of course,” Farryn said.

Sheila turned to her. “Don’t you want to go back to Eavothen as soon as possible though?”

“I’ve been gone for so long that a little longer won’t hurt,” Farryn said. “Besides, it will give me a chance to pay you back some for all that you’ve done for me. Goddess knows I can’t leave which such a debt hanging over me.”

“It’s not like that, Farryn. I didn’t help you just because I expected something in return.”

“In that case, let me help you as a friend.”

“Alright,” Sheila said, smiling at her. “Thank you.”

“I ought to go and get some rest,” Farryn said. She bowed to Micula and Sheila one final time. “Please excuse me. It’s getting rather late.”

“What will I do when I find Morning Star?” Sheila asked after Farryn had left.

“You might need to calm her some,” Micula said. “The wild magic that filled her in Ryudain as undoubtedly waned some, but she has been a complete creature of the wilds since then. And if she won’t accept you, then you’ll need to find another unicorn out there in the wilds. I suspect a number of them might still be found in the vicinity of Ryudain.”

“How will I calm her?”

“There is a spell to do so,” Micula said. “It’s simpler than the circle of protection we practiced against Mordack, so it might come easier to you.”

“That’s good to know,” Sheila said, thinking back to the time that Micula had suddenly gotten a unicorn to accept her as a rider with seemingly little effort. Was that what Sheila would be learning?

“It is,” Micula said, responding to Sheila’s thoughts. “And in the wilds, presumably, you’ll see positive results.”

“Are you going to come with me for this?” Sheila asked.

“For the other riders, I did, but you’ll have to undertake this without me,” Micula said. “I am needed in Campora, but also this is going to be a sort of test for you to see what you can manage.”

“A test,” Sheila said, gulping a little. She had never liked tests in school, and now there were even more tests. Hopefully, she’d be able to pass this one a little more easily than an algebra test. And she’d have Farryn with her, along with any other riders who came along. “Then so be it.”

“This will be your first mission, Sheila,” Micula said. “If you continue to study with me, it will only get more and more difficult. Keep that in mind.”

“I will,” Sheila said. “I’m prepared.”

“No, I don’t think you are, not yet,” Micula said. “But perhaps will you persevere all the same.”

“I’ll do my best,” Sheila said, shrugging. “So, about the calming spell…are we going to start it tonight?”

“You will learn it tomorrow,” Micula said. “You need to rest some, but be at the royal stables before daylight breaks. We will practice it on the royal horses there. It will be much easier on them than on unicorns, but they will serve for the purpose of trying out the spell.”

Sheila nodded at Micula but secretly wanted to groan. Part of living in this world permanently and training as a warrior-sorceress meant that she would probably never get to sleep in again.


	12. The Search

“Are we going to end up riding all the way back to Ryudain?” Sheila asked. The last time they had come this way, it had taken the unicorn riders nearly a fortnight before to reach the place where the unicorns had gone to renew their magic. Now they were somewhere in the wilds well north of Campora, but not quite that far north yet. She had searched for Morning Star, both physically and with the summoning spell, but still hadn’t found her.

She rode behind Darian on his unicorn, Wildwing. He briefly turned back to her and shrugged, then pressed his heels into Wildwing to urge him on. They had been out riding for a few days now, and this had become the routine.

“I don’t know,” Darian said. “Maybe. But we’ll ride as far as we have to and keep searching until we find Morning Star, don’t worry.”

Sheila was, of course, elated that Darian had come along. His company meant so much to her, and she felt like, by his side, she could do anything. She was also glad for Farryn’s presence. She had seen for herself that Farryn was skilled at tracking (among other things) and would support Sheila as best she could as she looked for Morning Star.

What she hadn’t counted on was Dian coming along for this journey as well.

When Sheila had told Illyria of what Micula had sent her to do, Darian had immediately volunteered to come with her and Farryn (“To prevent you from trying anything too crazy,” he had joked). But after he had, Illyria had, for some reason, informed them that Dian would be going too.

Sheila had wanted to protest but knew better than to do so. Dian wasn’t her enemy, not by any means (and they got along much better than when they had first met), but she and Dian weren’t exactly close friends either. They hadn’t talked at all since Sheila had come back, aside from their initial meeting in the royal stables.

As for how Dian felt about all this, well, that was harder to say. Dian had said nothing other than that she would go along and help as best she could. Of course, she had it said it pretty thinly, so she might have just been following orders. Illyria said that she couldn’t spare everyone to come and help Sheila search, as much as she wanted to, but did not at all want her to undertake this task alone. And, of course, that Dian was very capable (Sheila knew that was true) and that her assistance would be invaluable.

And so, there was Dian on her unicorn Swiftfoot, with Farryn in the saddle behind her, just like Sheila was behind Darian. If nothing else, Sheila was amused that it was now Dian who was forced to put up with Farryn’s chattering. And despite being on the receiving end of some of Dian’s famous scowls now and then, Farryn continued to prattle on as they rode.

“I still can’t believe I’m riding on a unicorn,” Farryn said as Dian pulled Swiftfoot up alongside Wildwing. “Goddess help me, but they’re so beautiful, each one in their own unique way. This is the only the second time I’ve ever been able to see any close-up, you know, the first time being back in the stable in Campora.”

Sheila could understand how she felt. She had been awed by the unicorns when she first saw them too.

“Are there unicorns where you’re from?” Darian asked.

“Yes,” Farryn said. “But in Eavothen, we treat them slightly different than here. You see, they are creatures of light, blessed the goddess. And thus left in the wilds to help purify the land. The penalties for bothering them are severe. And so, we don’t have riders like you all are.”

“So, up there we’d get in trouble for what we’re doing right now?” Sheila asked.

“Yes,” Farryn said. “But…this is not my homeland, and I recognize that things might be different here.”

_I guess Nanine’s words stuck with her._

“Unicorn riders are pretty unusual even in these lands,” Dian said. “There are only seven of us in all of Campora and probably beyond too.”

“Soon to be eight again,” Sheila pointed out. Dian simply shrugged at that, and Sheila felt annoyed.

“Not if we don’t get going,” Darian said. He turned back to Sheila again. “Do you want to stop and search for some?”

“Might as well,” Sheila said. She hadn’t tried the summoning spell all day. Maybe, as she drew closer to Morning Star, she’d be able to call her closer. But if Morning Star was bound and determined to remain in the wilds for good, would she simply ignore Sheila? Was this just a fool’s errand after all?

She couldn’t think like that though. When Wildwing stopped, Sheila slid off of his back and sat down on a fallen log. She closed her eyes and attempted the summoning spell. She saw a vision of Morning Star…somewhere. The unicorn was drinking out of a small pond somewhere, surrounded by trees. Sheila couldn’t tell exactly where she was though except that she was still north of them. It was like playing ‘hot and cold,’ but with magic and far less exact.

“Any luck?” Darian asked after she stood back up.

“Nothing we don’t already know,” Sheila said, shaking her head. “I guess we move on.”

“Maybe Micula should have come with us after all,” Darian said.

A sudden fear seized Sheila – what if she had to go back to Campora without a unicorn and seek Micula’s help after all? Would she be disappointed in Sheila? Or would she have expected it all along? It was hard to tell what exactly Micula thought sometimes or how she’d react. She could be inscrutable.

“Well, we haven’t even found Morning Star,” Sheila said. “I’m not ready to give up yet.”

“That’s the spirit,” Darian said. He looked around them then addressed the other three. “This looks like a nice place to take a breather.”

It was only late afternoon, but Farryn and Dian would have to go and find food for them. Sheila and Darian watched over the unicorns while Farryn and Dian took their bows to go off hunting. It was a little like back when Sheila and Farryn were roughing it through the wilderness, except now they had unicorns, additional companions, and the knowledge of where they were.

Sheila noticed that Darian was pulling the tents down from the backs of Wildwing and Swiftfoot.

“Should we be setting up the tents if we’re just going to take them down tomorrow morning?” she asked him.

“We could stay for here for a few nights, do a thorough search of the surrounding area,” Darian suggested. “It might be more efficient that way.”

Sheila looked around at their location. They were near the bottom of a little open ridge that rose up and overlooked a beach and the sea. On one side of them were thick woods and on the other, more woods, but not quite so thick (that was where Dian and Farryn had gone off to). They were so close to the ocean, that Sheila could hear the waves crashing against the shore. It was soothing. This would be a decent place to stay for a while.

Sheila wondered if she should have gone with Farryn and Dian to practice the calming spell on some of the forest animals. She had learned it easily enough from Micula and, with some effort, had successfully cast it on the horses in the royal stable. But those had been domesticated creatures used to having humans ride them anyway. Wild animals would be a different matter entirely. And a unicorn would be even more difficult. Micula had warned her about all that.

But before she could do anything, Darian called her over. “Hey, come and help me with these tents.”

Sheila stepped over and help Darian unfurl their cloth tents and place pegs in the ground. It went far better than one the previous times she had sent up a tent in this world when she had it so poorly that she tried even Kara the archer’s patience. Darian would no doubt have teased her if she messed it up this time, but now she knew what she was doing. The tents were up in practically no time.

And since it was still just the two of them, Sheila had a chance to talk with Darian privately again.

“It seems like you all settled back into Campora again pretty well,” Sheila said as she collected some sticks for kindling. The tents were finished, so it was time for her to get a fire going. Fortunately, she had brought her lighter. “It’s more of a home than ever.”

“It’s your home now too,” Darian pointed out.

“That’s true,” Sheila said. “And that’s comforting. Are Illyria and Laric going to stay there?”

“You and I might have some freedom of movement eventually, but I don’t think either of them is going to anytime soon,” Darian said.

“Because Laric is ruling Campora, right?” Sheila asked.

“Yep,” Darian said. “And will be for the foreseeable future.”

“What about Laric’s home country?” Sheila asked. “Perian? Doesn’t Laric have some kind of obligation to them?”

“His mother and father still rule there, from what I understand,” Darian said. “And…I’ve never been there, but I’ve heard that they have a Chancellor or something like that and that person is the one who actually runs things day-to-day.”

Sheila nodded. It was interesting that this world seemed to have all the same sorts of governments as they did back on Earth. There were kings and queens and Emperors, but also whatever kind of rule they had in Perian, plus some sort of army ruling like in Ansar or what sounded like a theocracy in Farryn’s homeland of Eavothen.

“I wonder if Illyria and Laric would ever go there,” Sheila said. “You know, if Laric has to take over as king of that nation or something.”

“Who’d rule Campora though?” Darian asked.

Sheila shrugged. “Well, you’re Illyria’s brother…”

Darian laughed at that her suggestion. “You’re joking, right? ME?”

Shelia laughed too. “No, you’re right. I mean, neither of us would be fit to rule a kingdom.”

“And both of us, in turn, are far less qualified than Illyria,” Darian said.

“Well, she’s almost already in that position,” Sheila said. “She seems like she’s good at it.”

“Maybe. Though were it up to her I don’t think court life is the life she’d have chosen,” Darian said.

“She never seemed content in it,” Sheila said. “Even if she does make a pretty regal leader.”

“It’s different for her than Laric,” Darian said. “He grew up as a prince. She grew up the daughter of a horse breeder.”

“You mean she never expected to be living this kind of life,” Sheila said.

“Right,” Darian said, nodding. “And she never asked for it either.”

“I remember her once saying that she wished that she and Laric could simply retire peacefully to the countryside,” Sheila said.

“As much as a royal life doesn’t entirely suit her, I can’t imagine such a quiet life suiting her either,” Darian said with a grin.

“After all the adventures she’s had, I guess that might get kind of boring,” Sheila said, thinking of how boring her life back home had been compared this one. “At the same time, I would think she’d also be ready to sit down and rest some.”

“My sister’s never been very good at that, much as she might not want to admit it,” Darian said. “Being a warrior suits her. Being a leader of warriors suits her. Plus, Laric says that being around unicorns so much changes you. You become a little wild, like them.”

Sheila recalled Laric saying something similar to her once. She cocked her head at Darian. “You don’t seem too ‘wild’ though. Not most of the time, anyway.”

Darian chuckled. “Honestly, the quiet life doesn’t appeal to me much either. These past few months, with the trouble in the south…well, it’s kept things interesting, I’ll say that much.”

“You enjoy scouting for trouble, don’t you?”

“Who wouldn’t?” Darian asked. “Nothing but the wind in my hair, my sword at my side, the entire world laid out before me while I’m out doing something that’ll protect people…hey, it’s great.”

“I know what you mean,” Sheila said. There was little that compared to riding a unicorn.

“And I’ll probably be doing that for some time,” Darian said. “I don’t think the problems in Samarna border region are going to go away anytime soon.”

“What would you do if there were nothing like that going on? Or if you didn’t have to go out and protect the unicorns?” Sheila asked out of curiosity. “What if you could do whatever you wanted?”

“I’ve never really thought about it,” Darian said. “I’ve been following Illyria for what feels like forever. And if it wasn’t her, then I’d want to be part of Laric’s band of warriors.”

“That doesn’t really answer my question,” Sheila said.

Darian stared down at the ground for a moment then looked back up at her. “Well, I’d want to be with you.”

“Aw, that’s sweet,” Sheila said, smiling. “And I want to be with you too. But you can do that even if you’re already following Illyria. You know I’ll be there. You could do that if you’re part of Laric’s band too.”

“It would be nice to travel the world,” Darian said. “See things nobody has seen before, adventure to faraway places. Listening to Farryn talk about Eavothen makes me a little envious, honestly. I wonder what it’s like. And think about how much more she’s gotten to see while traveling with you.”

“Far more than she ever wanted,” Sheila said. “But traveling does sound nice.” She remembered the different vacations she had taken with her parents, to parks, to different historical sites and monuments, all over the place. Here, traveling wasn’t quite that easy; you couldn’t just hop into the car or board a plane and be somewhere else within hours. But it was still possible…

“I’d love to travel with you,” Sheila finally said. “I’d love to see more of this world too.”

“What, and get behind in your sorcery lessons?” Darian asked.

“I won’t always be doing those,” Sheila said. “I mean, look at where we are now.”

“Isn’t this supposed to be a lesson though?” He drew himself up and tried to talk like Micula. “Go out, my apprentice, and prove your worth!”

Sheila laughed. “Now you’re being ridiculous. But you’re right, it is supposed to be that. If only I felt like I knew I was doing.”

“You’ll be fine,” Darian said. “Sure, it’s a little tougher for you because Micula isn’t here. But you’ve always managed before.”

“Here’s hoping,” Sheila said. “Well, you’re probably right. I just hope Morning Star can still be my unicorn and that I don’t have to go and find another one.”

Darian nodded sympathetically. “I bet it would be hard. Not getting another one, that is, I’m sure that would be easy enough for you. I mean, it would be hard getting used to another unicorn altogether.”

“Some things are practically irreplaceable,” Sheila said. She smiled at him. “Some people too.”

“People meaning me?”

“Maybe.”

Darian leaned forward and kissed her quickly on the lips. “I’m irreplaceable. Who else are you going to do that right?”

“Oh, Darian…” Her heart always fluttered when he did something like that.

“Yes?” Darian grinned at her.

“Sheila! Darian!”

Sheila looked up. Dian and Farryn were standing at the top of the ridge, waving and calling at them.

“What are they doing?” Sheila asked, feeling a little perturbed at having her moment with Darian interrupted so suddenly.

“Who knows?” Darian shrugged. “Maybe they found something interesting.”

“You think they’re done hunting already?”

“Only one way to find out. Come on, let’s go.”

Sheila and Darian headed up the slope to where Farryn and Dian were.

“What’s wrong?” Darian asked when they were almost at the top.

“Look out there on the water,” Farryn said, raising her arm and pointing toward the sea.

Sheila climbed up and looked to where Farryn was pointing. A little way into the water was a ship with a plain black sail. It didn’t look like it was going anywhere was probably anchored. It looked oddly familiar to Sheila for some reason. A small rowboat that had probably come from it was making its way to the shore. It was full of armored soldiers, all wearing black.

“Who are they?” Darian asked. “And what are they doing all the way out here?”

Sheila shrugged. “No idea.”

“They’re armed,” Farryn remarked. “We probably don’t want to approach them.”

“I agree,” Dian said. “I say we get out of here.”

“I think Dian and Farryn are both right,” Sheila said.

“We had better move quickly then,” Darian said. “They’ll be heading up here pretty soon, and we’re kind of exposed here. Okay, you-”

“Hold it right there!”

A sharp voice suddenly called out, interrupting Darian’s words.


	13. Two Battles

All of them turned. A soldier had just stepped out from the trees with four others behind him. Two of them were pointing crossbows at the party. They were all dressed in black padded armor like the soldiers in the rowboats, and a few of them wore spiked helms. The leader was carrying a long halberd that he pointed at them. Were they the ones from the empty rowboat, having moved inland through the woods?

“Lower your weapon, boy,” the leader said to Darian, who had drawn his sword and was holding it in front of him. “And tell the girl to lower hers too.” Sheila peered over and saw that Farryn had notched an arrow in her bow and was pointing it at soldiers.

“Better do as he says, for now, Farryn,” Darian said, and Farryn lowered her bow.

The man waved his hand, and his two underlings lowered their crossbows. Sheila breathed a brief sigh of relief but knew they weren’t out of danger yet. Her relief was short-lived anyway; another group of soldiers appeared at the top of the ridge and then started their way down toward them. They looked the same as the others – menacing and undoubtedly up to no good.

“Who are you people?” Darian asked. “And what do you want?”

“We are nobody of consequence, boy,” the leader said as the other soldiers approached. “And what we want is for you to be out of the way.”

“What are you doing out here?”

“That is also none of your business, boy.”

“Look, they’ve got unicorns,” one man from the new group said, pointing over toward the tents. “You know Emperor Ankzar and Lord Tezrah will pay us a huge bonus to deliver one of them to him. He’s been on the lookout for them.”

_Ankzar?! So that’s who these soldiers were working for_, Sheila thought. How in the world where they here? And why? Then it dawned on Sheila – Laric and Illyria had everyone searching in the wrong place. They were convinced that spies were sneaking across the southern border when instead they had been sailing completely around Campora and landing north of it! And they had missed it all along!

“We’ll never give up these unicorns to slime like Ankzar!” Sheila said defiantly.

“Is that so?” The leader looked at amused by Sheila’s outburst. He turned to Darian. “Tell you what, boy. Hand over those unicorns, and we’ll let you and your friends depart unharmed, so long as you never speak of us.”

“Darian, no!” Sheila said though she didn’t think Darian would ever do that.

“I don’t think so,” Darian said. “Best turn around, get on your ship, leave, and tell Ankzar and Tezrah to keep out of these lands and away from Campora.”

“And if we won’t?” the leader sneered.

“Then we’ll make you leave,” Darian said, glaring at him.

The leader laughed heartily at that. He then grinned and turned back to his men. “Capture the unicorns alive if you can. Kill the other four.”

With a loud yell, the rest of the soldiers charged at them. She saw that Farryn and Darian had their swords back out in a flash, stopping the first few attackers that reached them. Darian moved the like seasoned warrior he was, and Farryn nearly matched him, her sword twirling as she lunged at one of the soldiers. Dian hopped up on to Swiftfoot’s back and began charging their ranks herself, making large, sweeping cuts with her word. Wildwing came thundering through the line of soldiers too, tearing at them with his horn.

Sheila couldn’t just stand around while everyone else fought. She had to help too!

Drawing her sword, she ran forward and attacked the nearest soldier. He was momentarily caught off-guard by the ferocity of her attack but recovered quickly. They clashed several more times before Sheila hit him with a hard counter riposte that sent him sprawling.

“Nice one, Sheila!” Dian called as she rode by on Swiftfoot, knocking down two of the soldiers as she did. One got up and went running, but the other got up and decided to go after Sheila instead. She quickly found that this opponent wasn’t as easy as her first one was. She parried his attacks as best she could, but quickly found herself backing up with her sword feeling heavier and heavier. Finally, the soldier managed to disarm her, sending her sword flying from her grasp.

Sheila didn’t panic though. Her next moves were almost automatic. She pulled the dagger from her belt, the strange heavy one that Farryn had handed her in the ruins. Before the soldier could react, she plunged the dagger into his side. He dropped to his knees, then crumpled into a heap. However old that dagger was, it was still sharp enough to do its job.

But Sheila had no time to think about that. She quickly bent down and retrieved her sword. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw one of the soldiers fire a bolt from his crossbow that hit Swiftfoot directly in the flank. Another quick shot hit her in the leg. The unicorn whinnied in pain and reared, throwing Dian from her back as she did. Dian landed hard on the ground as she did, one of her feet twisting hard as she landed.

“Dian!” she yelled. As quickly as she could, Sheila charged the archer before he could shoot another arrow at anyone. She was fast enough that she caught him off-guard. With one swing of her sword, she broke his crossbow, and with a second, she slashed at his arm. With no other weapon available, he turned and fled.

Sheila didn’t give him any further thought. She immediately ran back to Dian, who was trying to get up.

“Ah, my foot!” Dian cried in pain. “I think I-behind you, Sheila!”

Sheila quickly whirled around, meeting another soldier’s sword with her own. Again and again, he tried to come at her, but Sheila was able to hold him off. The clashing of their swords rang in her ears as she parried his attacks. Finally, when he was visibly tired, Sheila swiped hard at his legs. He turned and limped away. Sheila didn’t follow after him and instead ran back over to Dian.

“I’ll protect you, Dian!” Sheila yelled. “I’ll keep them off of you and Swiftfoot!”

Only one more soldier attacked though. And when he saw that he was practically alone, he turned and ran away from Sheila. Again, she didn’t give chase. She saw that the rest of the soldiers had scattered as well. The four of them had been outnumbered three to one, but they had managed to defeat the group of soldiers anyway. Sheila breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t realized that her heart was beating so hard or that she was drenched in sweat. She sheathed her sword and knelt down next to Dian. Beyond them, in the trees, Swiftfoot whinnied sadly.

“I think that’s all of them,” Darian said, approaching them. He briefly looked away. “Farryn’s chasing their leader up the ridge.” He turned back to Dian and Sheila and knelt next to them. “What happened, Dian?”

“My foot,” Dian said. “I think I might have broken it…I don’t know. It hurts.”

She looked over at Darian. He didn’t look too much better. There was a bad cut on his head, and blood was running down the side of his face. She carefully pulled Dian’s left boot off, with Dian grimacing in pain as she did. She breathed in sharply when she saw Dian’s foot. It was bruised dark purple all over and already swelling badly. This needed to be treated. But how?

Suddenly, Sheila remembered something she had learned in her health class at school, a mnemonic device for what you had to do when it came to injuries like this.

“Rice!” she exclaimed out loud.

Darian gave her a confused look. “Rice? What does rice have to do with anything?”

“No, it’s a way to remember what you do for these sorts of injuries,” Sheila said. “Rest, ice, compression, elevation. We don’t have any ice, but we can wrap Dian’s foot and elevate it some too.”

“I see,” Darian said. “Well, let’s get to it then.”

Sheila took the old ivory wool tunic from her backpack and cut it up using her dagger. It was kind of funny that the thing Mardock had once created in a grand illusion to trap people would now be used to help someone who fought against him. She began wrapping the strips around Dian’s bruised and swollen foot as best she could. She thought she was doing okay until she poked a tender spot by mistake.

“Ouch!” Dian cried out. “Careful there. That hurts.”

“Sorry, Dian,” Sheila said. “I’m doing my best here, but there might still be some pain.”

“It’s…it’s fine,” Dian said. “Just…keep going.”

“We’re going to need to get Dian back to Campora,” Sheila said to Darian as she worked. “There’s no way she’s going to be able to keep traveling with us on this foot. Pelu will be able to fix her right up, I bet.”

“You’re right,” Darian said. “But what about Morning Star?”

“Wherever she is, I know she can take care of herself for now,” Sheila said, shaking her head. “I’ll look for her another time. Right now, it’s more important we do something for Dian. And we also need to warn Illyria and Laric about Ankzar has been landing spies out here.”

“Right,” Darian said. “That snake. I can’t believe he-”

“Bad news!” Farryn said, called a little way above them. She had come down from the top of the ridge. “Two more of those ships with black sails are pulling closer to the coast and launching rowboats. There’s going to be more soldiers upon us very soon.”

Darian swore under his breath. He got up and stepped up to the top of the ridge alongside Farryn. Sheila, meanwhile, kept wrapping Dian’s foot, assuring her that she’d be okay. For once, Dian didn’t scowl or look cross or anything; rather, she actually seemed grateful. When Sheila was done, she set her backpack on the ground so that Dian could raise her foot some and rest it on it. It probably wasn’t the most comfortable position to sit in, but it was the best they could for Dian’s foot until they got her back to Pelu.

Darian and Farryn quickly returned, and both of them wore grim looks on their faces. Sheila saw that Farryn had a cut on her arm. Well, she hadn’t expected that they would have made it out of that battle unscathed. With Dian’s foot wrapped and elevated, Sheila stood up and looked at Darian.

“Well?” she asked.

“Farryn’s right,” Darian said. “There are more ships. And their rowboats are moving fast. Soon enough, those soldiers that got away will come back with a lot more of their comrades.”

“Can we take them?” Sheila asked though she was pretty sure that she already knew the answer.

“There are too many of them this time,” Darian said. “Versus four of us, plus two unicorns. And only three of us and one of the unicorns are up to fighting. Those aren’t good odds.”

“Then we have two choices,” Farryn said, notching an arrow in her bow. “Either we see if we can somehow run for it, or we take down as many of them as we can.”

“We can’t run,” Sheila said. “Not with Dian and Swiftfoot both hurt.”

“You could leave Swiftfoot and me,” Dian said from her spot on the ground. “We’ll cover your retreat as best we can.”

“No!” Sheila said sharply. “We’d never leave you behind. And I don’t think you’d be able to do much with that foot right now anyway, Dian.”

“Boost me up on to Swiftfoot’s back, and I’ll fight from there,” Dian said. “I can ride and shoot a bow or swing a sword. I’ll fight them until I die.”

“Dian, no!” Sheila cried, horrified that she’d even suggest such a thing. “We can’t just let you sacrifice yourself like that.”

“Sheila! This is no time to argue. We’ve got to do something.”

“Swiftfoot is hurt too,” Darian pointed out. “I’m not sure she’s up to having you ride her right now. And Wilding can’t carry three people.”

“That makes running away a far more difficult prospect,” Farryn pointed out.

“Close ranks,” Darian said. “The three of us plus Wildwing will protect Dian and Swiftfoot as best we can.”

“So we fight,” Farryn said. “May the Goddess watch over us.” She put one closed fist to her mouth and muttered something quietly. Sheila figured she was praying. Was she upset that she had come all this way from the other world only to meet her end fighting someone else’s battles? She seemed fairly clam.

Darian called Wildwing over. It was clear he was ready for more; he snorted and stamped his hooves on the ground as though raring for another fight. It wasn’t long before more of the soldiers appeared at the top of the ridge. One of them ran forward, spotted them, then waved his sword in the air as he yelled, and his comrades came pouring over the ridge behind him. There were even more of them this time. Farryn aimed her bow and fired at them as best she could. This group seemed to be armed better though – a number of them had large heavy shields that deflected her arrows.

“Are you ready, Sheila?” Darian asked with gritted teeth. His eyes were narrowed, and blood still ran down the side of his face, but he held steady all the same.

“I’m ready,” Sheila said, drawing her sword back from its sheathe and raising it in front of her. No matter what, she’d remain brave to the very end. She steadied herself too as the new group of soldiers came at them. “They might get us, but we won’t make it easy for them.”

“I’m glad I’m we’re together at the end, Sheila McCarthy.”

“Me too, Darian.”

Suddenly, a volley of arrows and stones flew out of trees on the soldiers’ flank. A group of warriors, all dressed in saffron yellow and armed with an array of weapons (Sheila saw bows, clubs, knives, and slings among them) came charging at them with a cacophony of yelling. Sheila recognized them immediately – it was the Tomai! Were they there to save them?

The four of them could only watch while the Tomai fought the strange soldiers, who were no match for the Tomai’s skill and superior numbers (even without factoring in that the Tomai had launched a clever ambush). One large Tomai warrior knocked down two soldiers with one sweep of his spear and sent another one tumbling down the hill with a kick. The Tomai were quick fighters too – the soldiers’ heavy armor slowed them down and made them easy targets for quick stabs from the Tomai knives. The fight was over within minutes, with a number of the soldiers dead and those who weren’t fleeing back to their ships in terror. The Tomai had decimated them completely. It didn’t look like any of them had even been hurt.

“And stay gone!” the leader warrior called after the soldiers from the top of the ridge. “The Tomai will never allow outsiders to come here and attack us!”

Sheila wondered if this was a good time to get going, assuming that was possible with Dian and Swiftfoot in the conditions they were in. The Tomai seemed pretty angry and not at all in the mood to talk with anyone. She couldn’t really blame them for that – from their leader’s words, it was clear that those soldiers had been harassing them too. Unfortunately, before they could do anything, the Tomai leader came quickly down the ridge at them with all his warriors right behind them. There would be no running or fighting this time.

“Who are you?” the leader demanded loudly. Closer up, Sheila saw that he was balding, but had a thick, full beard on his face. His face was red with fury. “You don’t look like the others. Are you with them?”

Sheila remembered the last time they had encountered the Tomai. Had they been rescued from the soldiers only to end up being killed at the hands of their saviors?

“We are not with them,” Darian said, putting his sword on the ground and raising his hands. He nodded to Sheila and Farryn, who both put their weapons down as well.

“Then who are you?” the leader asked again.

“We’re warriors from Campora,” Darian answered. “Those soldiers, they attacked us as well. They hurt one of our unicorns, and now its rider, our friend, is hurt badly as well.”

“How do we know you are telling the truth?” a different warrior in the group yelled out. “Outsiders constantly lie to us and then attack us. Just like those soldiers did.”

“I swear to you by all your gods that I’m telling the truth,” Darian said. If he was nervous about addressing so many armed strangers, he didn’t show it. “We have our own mission and were simply passing by peacefully. We’re not here to harm the Tomai. We-”

“Humph,” the lead warrior grunted loudly, clearly in no mood to hear whatever else Darian was going to say. He turned to the others. “I, for one, do not trust them. You all know what happens if we don’t get rid of them: they’ll flee like rats and then come back at us in greater numbers. I say we-”

“Wait!” called someone from within the group of warriors. “I know them. They’re friends, not enemies.”

Some of the warriors moved aside, and a teenage boy stepped out in front of them.

“Hello, Darian and Sheila,” he said. “It has been some time.”


	14. Old Friends

“Jeno!” Sheila cried happily. She immediately recognized the Tomai boy who had helped them once before. He looked the same, though his curly brown hair had grown longer.

“Hello again, Jeno,” Darian said, sounding relieved. “How’s life in the village?”

“We have some problems still, as you can see,” Jeno said. “But much better than the last time I saw you.”

The leader still looked suspicious. “Jeno, you’re familiar with these outsiders?”

“Yes, Wrato,” Jeno confirmed to the leader. “Well, those two at least. They helped us a few moons ago. Do you remember the storms? They worked to stop them.”

“Is that so?” Wrato said, studying the four of them. “They have unicorns with them though.”

“The unicorns aren’t bad,” Jeno said. “Remember the prophecies?”

“I do,” Wrato said, scratching his bearded chin. “But how did these outsiders stop the rains and calm the sea?”

“They were taking the unicorns to place in the north so that the lady of the night skies could be appeased,” Jeno answered. “And they were successful. Life returned to our crops and livestock.”

“It is true that our fortune has turned since the night of your prophecy.”

“The unicorns’ blood must never be shed,” Jeno said. “And those soldiers did just that anyway. They are cursed. But if we help the unicorns and their riders now, then the lady of the night skies will surely bless us on this night of the half-moon.”

“I see,” Wrato said. He mulled on Jeno’s words for a moment then turned to Darian and Sheila. “Very well, outsiders. In light of all this, I extend to you an invitation to our village. We’ll have our shaman examine your comrade’s foot and your unicorn’s injury.”

“Thank you,” Sheila said. Relief swept over her. “We’re very grateful.”

Farryn bowed and tapped her chest twice at Wrato. He simply raised an eyebrow at her then shrugged.

“Come with us, outsiders,” Wrato said. “We’ll escort you back to the village. It’s better to travel in numbers, in case anyone else decides to try and attack us.”

“I absolutely agree,” Darian said, picking up his sword. He turned to Sheila and Farryn. “Sheila, help Dian while I convince Wildwing to let her ride him. We can’t make Dian walk to the Tomai village with her foot like that, and she can’t ride Swiftfoot right now. Farryn, you collect our things.”

Sheila carefully pulled Dian up while Farryn quickly collapsed their tents and gathered up their scattered belongings. Darian talked quietly to Wildwing. When he was done, he nodded and then, with Sheila and Farryn’s help, Dian was boosted up into the saddle. Wildwing, who had patiently allowed a different rider, began slowly trotting alongside the Tomai warriors. Swiftfoot, still bleeding pretty badly from her injuries, came over and walked carefully next to Wildwing, Her tail drooped, and her head was also lowered, but she did look up at Dian now then. Sheila’s heart ached for them both. Hopefully, there was something the Tomai shaman could do for them.

While Farryn was walking on one side of the two unicorns and keeping an eye on them and Dian, Sheila found herself walking on the other between Darian and Jeno. For his part, Jeno looked pretty pleased with the way things had turned out.

“You saved us,” Darian said to Jeno as the large party started down a dirt path that Sheila knew would lead to the Tomai village. “We’re in your debt.”

“Again,” Jeno said with a grin. His light hazel eyes were full of merriment.

“Yes, again,” Sheila said. “That makes what, three times now?”

“Four, depending on how you count,” Jeno replied. He peered over at Dian and Farryn then turned back to Sheila. “Who are those two girls with you? They weren’t here last time.”

“The girl with dark hair is Dian, and the girl with the light hair is Farryn,” Sheila said. “Dian is from Campora like us, and Farryn is from Eavothen.”

“Where?”

“Someplace far away,” Darian said. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Speaking of Campora,” Jeno said. “You still owe me a visit there.”

“We do, don’t we?” Darian said. “Well, as soon as we’re done with our business out here, why don’t you come back with us?”

“Truly? You mean it?”

“Absolutely,” Darian said. “And we’ll have Prince Laric throw a large feast in your honor when we get there.”

“A feast? In the great palace?!” Jeno sounded more and more excited.

“I think he likes your idea,” Sheila said.

“Most definitely!” Jeno exclaimed. “How soon can we leave?”

“Not until our friend is better and we’re done with what we came out to do,” Darian said. He looked over at Sheila. “Once we’re rested, we are still doing that, I assume?”

“I would certainly like to,” Sheila said. “But I don’t know, Darian…”

“What is your business out here anyway?” Jeno asked. “Are you trying to fight off those soldiers? You should have brought more than four people.”

“No, we had no idea they were even here,” Darian said. “We’re looking for a unicorn.”

“You have two unicorns already,” Jeno pointed out.

“Yes, but we’re looking for a different one,” Sheila said. “Remember the one from before with the black horn and black mane? Her.”

“Yes, I remember her,” Jeno said. “You know, you should come to the half-moon ceremony tonight. Perhaps one of the prophecies will help you find her.”

Sheila remembered the time she, Darian, and Jeno had attempted a trick with the Tomai prophecies and had made one up. Except, that trick had been dangerous, and the prophecy had ended up being real, one that had come true in the end. She shuddered. The ceremony was important to the Tomai, but Sheila had found it eerie and unsettling as a whole and the goat sacrificed it involved particularly upsetting. Still, maybe Jeno was on to something. They weren’t going to be traveling very far that night with the condition they were all in and one of their unicorns injured. Maybe they could stay with the Tomai. If not, well, they could probably camp safely outside their village.

Soon Sheila spotted the familiar huts of the Tomai village by the sea. It was a bustling place – children played outside while chickens and goats and sheep ran all over, women washed clothes outside, men worked with wood and metal, and all sorts of other activities took place. Clearly, the Tomai had recovered well from the damage the storms and the floods had done to their village and were thriving. There were looks of curiosity (and some suspicion) from the villagers as Jeno led them down a muddy side path to a hut at the far end of the village. While Darian took care of Wildwing and Swiftfoot, Farryn and Sheila helped Dian.

With Sheila supporting one side of her and Farryn supporting the other, Dian limped weakly into the one-room hut. The inside of the hut smelled of incense and herbs. Dried leaves and fruits and vegetables hung from the ceiling, and shelves of different bottles and vials and jars lined the walls. White candles lit the hut, their little flames dancing.

From a table in the corner, an old lady turned around. She wore the same saffron yellow robes that the rest of the Tomai wore, though her skin was wrinkled, and her hair was completely white. Sheila wondered just how long she had been a shaman. She looked very wise.

“Salleth!” Jeno called. “There are some people here to see you.” He turned back to Sheila and the others. “This is Salleth, the village shaman.”

Salleth raised an eyebrow at them then turned back to Jeno. “Outsiders?”

“Friendly outsiders from Campora,” Jeno said. “Don’t worry, Wrato has allowed them here. They helped end the storms and the floods from earlier this year.”

“Truly?” Salleth inclined her head at them and favored them with a toothy smile. “Then I thank you, outsiders.”

“We’re glad to have helped,” Sheila said. “Would you please take a look at our friend’s foot? She hurt it badly in a fight, and we think it might be broken.”

“Of course, of course,” Salleth said. “Here, sit down in this chair outsider, and put your foot up.”

Sheila helped Dian into a wicker chair with a thick hide cushion on the seat. Salleth brought over a stool and carefully helped Dian set her wrapped foot on it.

“What kind of fight did you injure this in?” Salleth asked as she unwrapped the cloth around Dian’s foot.

“It was against those outsiders in the large ships with the black sails,” Jeno said before Dian could answer. “The ones who made all the ridiculous claims of being lost and then attacked us.”

“More of them?” Salleth asked. She sighed. “It seems as though there’s no end to those troublemakers.”

The Tomai had been having trouble with Ankzar’s soldiers too. How many had he sent here? Something would have to be done – they couldn’t be allowed to spy on Campora, nor could they be allowed to continue to harass the Tomai. Sheila was about to ask about them, but then Jeno spoke up again.

“We drove a large number of them off, Salleth!” Jeno said excitedly. His voice got louder and louder as he described it. “It was a glorious victory! We charged them from under cover and smashed their ranks! Not even a single injury among the Tomai, but every one of them was either dead or fleeing after we attacked them. I took down a fellow who was easily two heads taller than me.”

Darian, who had just stepped in, looked down at Jeno and chuckled, but nodded knowingly.

_Boys_, Sheila thought, resisting the temptation to roll her eyes.

“I’m sure you did, Jeno,” Salleth said. “Now, please be quiet a moment while I attend to this girl.”

“Ah, yes,” Jeno said sheepishly. “Sorry, Salleth.”

“Hmmm,” Salleth said as she examined Dian’s foot. She continued her examination, poking, and prodding and even sniffing as she did. “Not broken, dear. You’ve simply got a bad sprain. I can give you something for this.”

“What about Swiftfoot?” Dian asked. “She was shot and bled pretty badly, and the crossbow bolts are still in her side…”

“Who is Swiftfoot?”

“My unicorn…can you help her too? Please?”

“Of course I shall,” Salleth said. “I’ve not treated a unicorn before, but I do have experience treating horses. Once I finish with you, I’ll see to her also.”

“You and your unicorn are in good hands,” Jeno said to Dian. “Salleth knows everything when it comes to medicine. She always treats the warriors of the village well.”

“And the warriors do their best to keep me busy,” Salleth said, chuckling. She looked up at Darian. “It looks like you’re also hurt, young man.”

“Just a sword cut,” Darian said, rubbing at his head. “It’s nothing.”

Salleth laughed at that. “Whether Tomai or outsider, you men always put up a brave front, don’t you? That’s nasty-looking for ‘just a sword cut.’ I’ll see to it as well. It’s dangerous to leave such things untreated. It might fester and rot.”

“Or get infected,” Sheila added.

“Fine, fine,” Darian said.

Salleth turned to Sheila and Farryn. “And you two? Were you part of this fighting as well?”

“Ah, yes,” Sheila said. “We were.”

“Young girls fighting battles as warriors,” Salleth mused. “How unusual you outsiders are.” She peered at the cut on Farryn’s arm. “Looks like I’ll be treating you as well.”

“Then I thank you for that, great shaman,” Farryn said, bowing her head.

“Good to see an outsider with decent manners,” Salleth said. “Unlike those wretched soldiers.” She got up and went back to the table in the corner. She came back with a little clay bottle and began rubbing some of its contents on Dian’s foot.

“What’s that?” Dian asked.

“Special ointment,” Salleth said. “This will reduce the swelling. Once the medicine has had a chance to work, I’ll boil some pine gum and mold it around your foot. That’ll keep it in place while it heals.”

“Thank you, Salleth,” Dian said.

When Salleth was done, she applied some strange purple liquid to both Darian and Farryn’s cuts after cleaning them. It bubbled a little bit, and their bleeding stopped.

“That works even better than stitches,” Sheila remarked, impressed.

“Indeed,” Salleth said. “The forest and sea full of helpful plants and such if you know where to look and how to use them correctly.” She turned back to Dian and examined her foot. “Hmmm, looking a little better. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go look at your unicorn. Where is she?”

“Outside,” Darian answered. “I’ll show you.”

Sheila knelt next to Dian’s chair. Her foot was less swollen but now smelled like funny. The odor reminded Sheila of antiseptic medicine back on Earth.

Dian sighed. “I should have been more careful.”

“You were great though in the battle today, Dian,” Sheila said.

Dian looked at Sheila suspiciously, probably trying to decide if she was being sincere or not.

“It’s true,” Farryn said. “You were amazing, cutting down enemies from the back of your unicorn.”

Sheila nodded. “We wouldn’t have survived if you weren’t there.”

“Thanks, Sheila,” Dian said. “And…thanks for standing over me after I was hurt. And for taking care of my foot afterward too.”

“You’re welcome, Dian,” Sheila said. “I’m glad you were with us, and I’m glad I was able to help you too.” Dian smiled at her, a real, genuine smile. Sheila appreciated it.

“Sounds like you did a lot today, Sheila,” Jeno said.

“We all did,” Sheila said.

“It’s good to have friends who have your back,” Jeno said. “And whose backs you can protect in turn.”

“It certainly is,” Sheila said, nodding at Dian and Farryn. Both of them nodded back, and Sheila felt a warm feeling swelling up inside her. This was how things were supposed to be. Not Dian and Swiftfoot being injured of course, but the friendship and comradery.

Just then, Salleth walked back into the hut with Darian right behind her. She was wiping her hands with a cloth rag as she did.

“I’ll need to make a pair of poultices for your unicorn,” Salleth said. “After the bolts are removed, I’ll apply them to her wounds.”

“Will she be okay?” Dian asked, sounding worried.

“I should think so,” Salleth answered. “She seems like she's a pretty tough creature, and I imagine she’ll heal just fine with a little help. Don’t worry, I’ll get started on them right away.” With that, she pulled some more jars and bottles from her shelves and went back over to the table on the far side of the hut. “Jeno, fetch me the box of wool scraps, would you? It’s in the corner over there.”

“Sheila,” Darian said, putting his hand on Sheila’s shoulder. “Let’s you and I have a word while Salleth is taking care of Swiftfoot.”

Dian looked up. “Do you want us to come with you?”

“No, that’s okay, Dian,” Darian said. “You stay here and rest your foot like Salleth said to.”

“Right,” Sheila said, catching Darian’s hint. “Farryn, keep an eye on her, please.”

Sheila and Darian stepped out of the shaman’s hut. The sun was low on the horizon – soon it would be dark. She remembered that there would be lit torches along many of the different paths in the Tomai village. Unlike some other places in that world, the Tomai clearly saw the value in street lights.

Sheila led Darian to a shady tree a little bit away from Salleth’s hut. A cool breeze blew, rustling the branches and making the long shadows dance. The gentle waves of the sea were soothing, and the salt smell was a welcome change from the strange odors in Salleth’s hut.

“What did you want to talk about, Darian?” Sheila asked, turning to face him.

“What our next moves should be,” Darian said.

Sheila shrugged. “We can’t go anywhere until Dian and Swiftfoot are better. Or Swiftfoot, at least.”

“And then we head back to Campora?”

“Probably,” Sheila said. “It’ll be slow going though. We can’t expect Swiftfoot to carry two people after being hurt. Or maybe even one. And Dian’s not going to be able to walk, so if Swiftfoot isn’t up to carrying her, she’ll have to ride Wildwing.”

“Meaning the rest of us would walk.”

“Yep.” Sheila wasn’t crazy about that idea, but at least it wouldn’t be nearly the trek that she and Farryn had undertaken.

“I don’t like that idea,” Darian said, shaking his head. “It makes us easy targets if Ankzar’s thugs attack again.”

“Maybe some of the Tomai would be willing to come with us,” Sheila suggested. “We know Jeno, at least, will be coming along with us.”

“Jeno’s welcome, but we can’t ask too many of them to escort us,” Darian said. “They’ve got to keep their warriors around in case Ankzar’s men show up again. They’ve got their own people to protect.”

“You’re right,” Sheila sighed. “If only there was a way to quickly send for help from Campora.”

_I wish they had telephones here_, Sheila thought.

“I could ride back to Campora alone on Wildwing,” Darian said. “If you and Farryn stay with Dian and Swiftfoot and camp near the Tomai village, you all should be relatively safe.”

“I thought the same thing earlier,” Sheila said, glad she and Darian were kind of on the same wavelength. “That maybe we could stay near the village until we’re rested. Would you be fine going all the way back to Campora by yourself though?”

“I can ride quickly enough on my own,” Darian said. “And stay inland enough so that I won’t be near the shore where any of Ankzar’s soldiers might show up. Wildwing will probably need a rest before I do that though since I’d be pushing him pretty hard.”

“That’s worrying too,” Sheila said.

“Well, no plan’s going to be without its flaws.”

“Is there anything else we could try?”

“Maybe you could try summoning Illyria or Micula,” Darian said. “And tell them what all has happened.”

“That’s an idea,” Sheila said. “If they sent help, then that would make things much easier.”

“I know Illyria said they couldn’t spare anyone,” Darian said. “But a few of our fellow riders would be sufficient for our group to make it back in one piece.”

“Our group plus Jeno,” Sheila reminded him. “Don’t forget about him.”

“Right,” Darian said. “Any plan we come up with has to include him too, doesn’t it? Especially after the Tomai saved us as they did.”

“Maybe Laric and his men could transform and fly up,” Sheila said. “That’s probably a pretty quick jaunt for them.”

“Can’t be them,” Darian said, shaking his head. “Laric either keeps them close to Campora or sends them our scouting in the south.”

“Even though we know that’s the wrong place to look.”

“Well, we know that now. We didn’t before.”

“Maybe once they know too, they’ll be fine with sending folks up here,” Sheila said. “And then our problems are solved.”

“And you can get back to your search,” Darian said. “Don’t forget why we’re out here. It wasn’t to uncover Ankzar’s spies.”

“I know,” Sheila said. “But if Dian goes back, we’re down a person.”

“We’d be down two, actually,” Darian said. “If Dian goes, Farryn has to go too. We can’t expect Wildwing to haul around three people plus whatever we’re carrying.”

Sheila had considered that. “Ugh. Ankzar sure made things difficult for us by sending his people up here.”

“Yeah, but we managed to make things more difficult for him in the future by taking down some of his soldiers and uncovering some of his plans,” Darian said with a grin.

“I guess that counts for something.”

“Hey Sheila,” Darian said, pushing her hair from her face and resting his hand on her cheek. “Speaking of which, I also wanted to say…that you did great today.”

“Thank you, Darian.” Sheila reached up and touched his hand. “Though I’m not quite the warrior that you and Farryn and Dian are.”

“I’m talking about more than just the fighting,” Darian said. “I mean everything that came after too. How you helped Dian’s foot and remained so calm even when it looked like we were going to be overrun and killed.”

“You were there with me,” Sheila said. “That helped.”

“I’ll always be there with you,” Darian said. “Count on it.”

“I will.”

Darian leaned his face very close to hers. Sheila looked into his dark eyes with her hazel ones and leaned up a little. She started to close her eyes.

“Hey, Darian, Sheila!” Jeno suddenly called. “Salleth is done treating your unicorn! Come and see!”

Sheila’s eyes shot open. An annoyed look had come over Darian’s face at the interruption. Sheila was a little annoyed too, but she couldn’t help smirking at Darian’s reaction.

“Come on, Darian,” Sheila said, pulling his hand. “Let’s go check on Swiftfoot and Dian.”

“If you say so,” Darian muttered, allowing Sheila to lead him back over to Salleth’s hut. The shaman looked up at them as they entered.

“Ah, you’re back, good,” she said. “As I just told this young lady, I’ve applied my special poultices to the brown unicorn’s wounds. She should be as good as new say, by late tomorrow. I’ll check on her then and give you an update.”

“That’s wonderful to hear,” Sheila said. “What about Dian’s foot?”

“That’s going to take a little longer to heal,” Salleth said. “My pine gum should be ready shortly. I’ll mold it on her foot. It’ll keep it in place and allow it to heal well. She’ll even be able to wear a boot over it.”

“How long will I have to keep that on?” Dian asked.

“A few weeks,” Salleth said. “It’s hard to say, as I don’t know how quickly you’ll heal. You’ll know though. And then you can remove the cast.”

“Will I have to come back to you for that?”

“No, no,” Salleth said. “I’ll give you a special herb to mix with water so you can dissolve it yourself.”

“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us, Salleth,” Sheila said. “We’ll be sure to repay you for all of it.”

“You’ve already paid me back some by helping the village warriors deal with those wretched outsider soldiers,” Salleth said. “And you can continue to do so by not forgetting the Tomai when you go back to Campora.”

“I won’t,” Darian said. “You have my word.”

“Thank you, outsider.”

“Salleth,” Sheila said. “I’m not sure who to ask, so I’ll try you first. Do you think it would be okay if we camped outside the village until Dian and Swiftfoot are okay to travel? We won’t be a bother to anyone, I swear.”

“I’m sure the village elders would allow that in light of everything that’s happened,” Salleth said. “But I believe there’s an empty hut you could use for a night or two.”

“Plus, you can stay for the half-moon ceremony!” Jeno exclaimed.

“I don’t know,” Sheila said uncertainly.

“What’s the half-moon ceremony?” Farryn asked curiously.

“The night we beseech the lady of the skies for good fortune,” Jeno said. “And then the gods grant the gift of prophecy.”

“And they sacrifice a goat,” Sheila muttered.

“You have to,” Jeno said. “The gods don’t grant fortune and prophecy for nothing.”

“The sages in Eavothen practice prophecy,” Farryn said. “They’re granted visions and insight from the goddess and then use those to dictate the course of society.”

“Does that actually work?” Dian asked.

“It has for more than a hundred years,” Farryn said.

“That’s pretty much what we do here,” Jeno said. “The prophecies told during the night of the half-moon almost always come true, so they guide us. Anyway, there will be more to it this time than before, Sheila and Darian. So, please come, all of you.”

“Jeno,” Salleth said reproachfully. “Should you invite these strangers to the ceremony without first asking the elders’ permission?”

“I’m sure they’ll be fine with it,” Jeno said, hopping up. “But let’s go ask them anyway. Come on, Darian, Sheila!” With that, he darted out of Salleth’s hut.

Darian shrugged and followed after Jeno. Sheila had no choice but to follow too. She secretly hoped that the Tomai elders would deny Jeno’s request to have them present at the ceremony, but suspected that it would be yet another night of chanting, dancing, prophecy, and a sacrificed goat.


	15. The Pool of the Gods

The night of the half-moon, it turned out, also included a grand feast after the prophecies at the pavilion. There would be a lot more to the evening than the last time Sheila and Darian had visited the Tomai during the night of the half-moon. It was like a miniature festival. Jeno explained that this was how it was during more prosperous times, and with the Tomai thriving, it wouldn’t be quite so solemn. There would still be a goat sacrifice though. Sheila sighed at that detail.

Just like before, a large pavilion was set up in some of the fields near the Tomai village. But this time there were some colorful decorations put up: wooden carving and woven leaves. Sheila wondered if those represented the Tomai gods. While some of the Tomai finished their work on the pavilion, others were cooking and baking and preparing for a large feast that would take place.

“Looks like this will be a pretty festive event,” Sheila said as she walked with Darian and Jeno.

“Is it really okay for us to be present at it?” Darian asked as a pair of Tomai children ran by, chasing each other.

“Well, having outsiders here for this is a little unusual,” Jeno said. “But since you’ve helped us, you’re welcome.”

“Will we need to do anything?” Sheila asked. “I mean, this is pretty different from, you know, last time.”

“No,” Jeno said. “Just watch the ceremony and hear prophecies. There will be delicious food afterward.”

“That last part sounds nice,” Darian said. “We’ve been eating nothing but snake and bird since we left Campora. My stomach’s looking forward to something better.”

“Oh, poor you,” Sheila teased him. “Should I remind you what Farryn and I subsisted on for weeks?”

“I’m surprised there was much game left near you guys considering how much she eats,” Darian said. “And I think you’ve started to take after her, with the way you gobbled down the dinners in Campora.”

“I’m a growing girl,” Sheila said, smiling at her.

“You have to eat well,” Jeno said. “If you want to be a great warrior.”

“See?” Sheila said. “Listen to the Tomai. They understand how things work.”

Darian sighed. “Let’s just get to the ceremony. It’s already dark.”

“It is!” Jeno said. “And I’m supposed to help with the goat. I’ll see you at the ceremony, Darian and Sheila!” With that, he dashed off toward one of the large animal pens.

“Where are Dian and Farryn?” Darian asked.

“Dian’s sitting at one of the tables on the other side of the pavilion,” Sheila said. “She can’t stand up long enough to watch the ceremony. Farryn’s staying with her.” She paused. “You know, Farryn might want to watch, so I can go wait with Dian.”

“No, no,” Darian said. “You can’t do that. Jeno will be disappointed if we don’t attend the ceremony. Come on, it’ll be over before you know it.”

Sheila sighed with resignation and allowed him to lead her over to the crowd that had gathered in front of the wooden platform. Sheila would have fine having one of the tall Tomai warriors stand in front of her and block her view, but Darian insisted they be in the front row so that they could see. It looked like pretty much everyone from the village was there. The general murmur of the crowd seemed pleasant though as if this was nothing more than a monthly party they held. Which, Sheila considered, was probably what it was more like now that the Tomai were doing better.

Just like before, a priest stepped on to the middle of the platform. The crowd went quiet, and the priest beseeched the moon loudly in prayer. The villagers then joined in, chanting. It was soft at first then seemed to build and build. Even though the circumstances weren’t as heavy as the first Sheila had heard the chant, it still sounded haunting. As the singing died down, a woman climbed on to the platform, pulling a goat behind her. Sheila instinctively closed her eyes – she didn’t want to witness this part. She heard a brief squeal from the goat and then silence.

_Good, that’s part over._

Next up were the prophecies. The priest asked who would come and speak, and, one by one, men and women stepped on to the pavilion and spoke prophecies. Some of them seemed straight forward to Sheila –the next harvest would be a bountiful one, for example. Some were rather vague, like the man who foretold that the undercurrents of a mighty river threatened to rise up and pull the trees down with them. And one, about a dog clucking like a chicken, made no sense to Sheila. She wondered how long these would go on.

“Are there any more who would speak prophecy on this night?” the priest asked.

“I would speak,” a voice called. Sheila looked at its source and saw Jeno up stepping on to the platform from the other side and walking toward the priest.

“The boy has a prophecy for us!” the priest called. “Hear him!”

“Hear him! Hear him well!” the crowd cried back in chorus.

Jeno slowly turned on the pavilion until he was facing Sheila. His eyes had turned glassy. “The powers of this land reach out to the warrior from another world.”

“Me?” Sheila asked quietly, though she knew there was nobody else Jeno’s words could have referred to. This was eerie and spooky. She knew the telling of prophecies would be like this, but she didn’t expect to be personally addressed by one.

Jeno’s eyes didn’t blink at all as he continued to speak in a loud, clear voice. “The one with black hair waits by the pool of the gods. But only so long as the half-moon shines. Follow the unicorn’s horn.”

“What?” Sheila asked. Was he talking about Morning Star? Who else could have fit that description? She approached the pavilion. “Jeno, do you mean my unicorn? That horn?”

But Jeno didn’t answer. He had already fainted. A priest caught him in his arms and gently laid him down on the ground just off the large platform where the other prophets had been taken. The rest of the crowd had dispersed, going to other activities. Some of them were singing and dancing, whereas others wandered off to the feast. Sheila stepped around the large crowd and reached the boy just as the priest was putting a cool wet rag on his forehead. Within a minute, Jeno’s eyes fluttered open and he looked up at her.

“Ah, Sheila,” Jeno said. “I think I foretold my next prophecy.”

“You did, Jeno,” Sheila said. “And it was directed at me, though I’m not sure what it means.”

“What did I say?”

“That someone with black hair is waiting for me by the pool of the gods,” Sheila said. “And to follow the unicorn’s horn.”

“Maybe it’s about your unicorn, Sheila!” Jeno exclaimed.

“Well, I figured that much,” Sheila said. “But what’s the pool of the gods? And how do I follow the unicorn’s horn?”

“I have no idea what the pool of the gods is,” Jeno said. “Maybe it’s the sea? Maybe your unicorn is down there?”

“No, I don’t think that’s it,” Sheila said.

“You should ask Wrato,” Jeno insisted. “Wrato knows lots of things.”

Sheila took Jeno’s advice and went and found Wrato who was talking and drinking with some of the other Tomai warriors. She pulled him aside and repeated the prophecy, though she was fairly certain he had heard it already and asked him if he knew anything about Jeno’s mysterious words.

“The pool of the gods?” Wrato scratched his head. “That’s an old and rather obscure Tomai legend. Supposedly, the lady of the night skies and her lover, the lord of earth, met there.”

“What else can you tell me about it?” Sheila asked.

“Supposedly they’d meet there in secret to avoid being bothered by the other gods,” Wrato said. “It’s well-hidden enough that they were never found in the times they spent there together.”

“Well, thank you,” Sheila said. “That’s very interesting. Can you please tell me where it is?”

“I can’t,” Wrato said. “Nobody knows where it is. That’s sort of the point of the legend.” He shrugged. “If there ever was such a place, perhaps it’s not for us mortals to find.”

“What about the unicorn’s horn?” Sheila asked, her exasperation building. “Do you know what that might mean?”

“Who can say?” Wrato said. “I see that you have two unicorns with you. Perhaps it pertains to them. Not all prophecies are perfectly clear, outsider. You may have to wait until it comes to pass before you can truly make sense of the words.”

“I see,” Sheila said, but that still didn’t tell her exactly what she should do.

Sheila left Wrato and paced back and forth in frustration across the now-empty pavilion. She was so close to finding Morning Star again. And she had been given help to do so. But the help was so vague and almost useless. What would happen if she didn’t find Morning Star before the half-moon was gone?

Eventually, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw Darian grinning down at her.

“You look like you’re in deep thought,” Darian said. “Pondering your personal prophecy, great warrior from another world?”

“Pretty much,” Sheila said. “But I still have no clue about what it means or what I should do.”

“Want some help?”

“Sure. Two heads are better than one, right?”

“Especially when one of them is mine,” Darian said. Sheila gave him a frown for that remark, but he ignored it. “Let’s see…the part about the unicorn’s horn? Maybe we should ride Wildwing out and see if he can locate Morning Story. He could follow his horn or something.”

“I don’t know,” Sheila said, still trying to think. This prophecy was way more of a riddle than Jeno’s first one had been. Suddenly it hit her. “Oh! Right, the unicorn’s horn!”

“Did you figure it out?” Darian asked.

“Yes, I think I did,” Sheila said. “But I still need some help. Come on, let’s go find Farryn.”

“Farryn? Why her?”

“Because she’s the one who told me about the unicorn’s horn originally.”

“What do you mean?” Darian asked.

“I’ll explain later,” Sheila said. “But right now, we need to go see Farryn.”

“Knowing her, she’s probably wolfing down food on the other side of the pavilion.”

“Then let’s go.”

They made their way to the other side of the pavilion, where the feasting was in full swing. Finally, near the end of one table, they saw Farryn happily chowing down next to Dian.

“Farryn!” Sheila called.

Farryn looked up at the sound of her name. There was some kind of food all over her mouth. “Hello, Sheila McCarthy. Have you tried the honey cakes? They top them with fresh cream, and it’s delicious!”

“Maybe later,” Sheila said, not caring much about dessert at that moment. “Can you show me again which set of stars is the unicorn’s horn?”

“Ah, the unicorn’s horn?” Farryn said. She wiped her face and pointed up. “You see the eight stars there and how they form a sort of triangle? That’s the horn and the ninth one there is the tip of it.”

Sheila looked to the sky to where Farryn was pointing. Fortunately, it was a clear night, and she quickly found what she was looking for, nine separate stars that made up a triangle in the ship of a unicorn’s horn. And it was pointing in a certain direction too, away from the Tomai village and more inland, toward the hills in the far distance.

“Thanks,” Sheila said. She turned away and started to hurry off, but Doan called after her.

“Sheila, wait! Is something wrong?”

Sheila whirled around. “No. In fact, things are better than ever. I think I know where to go and find Morning Star now.”

That caught Farryn’s attention. “Oh? Do you want me to come with you?”

“Ah…no. I need to do this one alone. Enjoy your cake, Farryn! And you too, Dian!”

Sheila dashed off to retrieve her backpack, which was in the hut that the village elders had allowed them to use for the night. She ran by Wildwing and Swiftfoot, who were grazing right outside it. As she was checking to make sure she had everything and getting ready to set off, she heard Darian call after her from outsider the hut.

“Sheila, wait!”

Sheila had just stepped outside of the hut when Darian ran up to her. She gave him an impatient look. She had to get going, and they didn’t have time to chat.

“Hey,” Darian said. “Slow down a minute.”

“I need to head off,” Sheila said. “I need to follow the unicorn’s horn and find Morning Star.”

“You really believe in this prophecy, don’t you?”

“I do,” Sheila said. “I’ve accepted that, in this world, magic is real and prophecies are also real and often meaningful.”

“I know all that too,” Darian said. “And that’s why I’m coming along. You’re not doing this alone.”

“It has to be me,” Sheila insisted. “I have to be the one to find Morning Star.”

“And you will be,” Darian said. “But going out of the village by yourself? When there are wild animals roaming the dark woods at night? When there could be more of Ankzar’s men out there?”

“You still think I need protecting?” Sheila asked him.

“Not necessarily protection,” Darian said. “But, again, two heads are better than one. And two swords and a unicorn are better than one sword.”

“You’re right,” Sheila said. She took a deep breath. She needed to think clearly and not get too excited. “Thanks, Darian.”

“Anytime,” Darian said. “Come one. We’ll take Wildwing.”

“Darian,” Sheila said as Darian saddled up his unicorn. “What if we do encounter more soldiers?”

“Then we’ll ride back to the village as quickly as we can and alert everyone here,” Darian said. “We know the Tomai can handle any number of them.”

“Okay, then,” Sheila said. “Let’s be off as soon as possible. We can’t waste any more time around here.”

* * *

They rode out of the Tomai village on the back of Wilding, his mane flying back in the cool night air as he trotted along. Sheila had forgotten just how dark this part of the countryside could get, even though the stars and the half-moon were shining brightly.

“I wish I had kept my flashlight,” she muttered. By now, Captain Randal had probably sold it to someone.

“Your what?” Darian asked ahead of her.

“Never mind,” Sheila said. “Let’s just keep moving.”

“Are we going the right way?” Darian asked.

“We’re going in the direction that the unicorn’s horn is pointing, so yes,” Sheila said.

“But, that could go on and on for a long time,” Darian said. “How will we know when we’re at the right place?”

“I’m sure we’ll just know somehow,” Sheila said, though she wasn’t entirely sure. They rode and rode through the trees until the land suddenly stopped and they found themselves at the bottom of a tall cliff. Sheila looked up, but she couldn’t quite see the top.

“Dead end,” Darian said. “Should we go around?”

“Let’s take a look at it,” Sheila said. “Maybe there’s something here.”

They both dismounted Wildwing and began exploring their vicinity. Sheila examined the cliff face a little closer. It was a steep wall – much too steep to climb ever in the daylight. Would they need to go around and find an alternate route up? Just how much time could they afford to lose?

“Hey, over here,” Darian said a little way down from her. “There’s a passage here.”

Sheila joined him at what turned out to be a small fissure in the rock. It was big enough for them to fit through, but Sheila was sure they didn’t want to ride Wildwing in there, as there was no way to tell if the ceiling in it might suddenly become too low. She poked her head in and tried to see how long it might be, but couldn’t see anything in the tunnel at all.

“It’s too dark, Darian,” Sheila said after she had pulled her head out. “I can’t see a thing in there.”

“We can deal with that,” Darian said. He grabbed a torch from his saddlebag, Sheila lit it with her lighter.

Darian shined the torch into the crack, but Sheila couldn’t see anything in it except for more rock rising up on both sides.

“Do you think Morning Star is in there somewhere?” Sheila asked.

“No way to find out unless we go in,” Darian said. “I’ll go first since I’ve got the torch.”

He drew his sword in his free hand. Noticing Sheila’s questioning look, he said: “Just in case. We don’t know what’s in there.”

“Right,” Sheila said, pulling out her sword too. “Let’s go.”

Together, they walked through the narrow crack in the cliff wall, with Darian leading, Wildwing bringing up the rear, and Sheila in the middle. It was barely tall enough for the unicorn to fit through. They made their way slowly in what turned out to be a long tunnel through the rock. Sheila remembered Farryn’s tale of shuffling through a tunnel in the dark. She had found something magical in hers; would Sheila and Darian have similar fortune?

When they finally emerged from the tunnel, they found themselves in a wooded grove surrounded by rock on all sides. The trees in the grove looked to be old, strong ironwoods. In the center of the grove was a small pond that reflected the moonlight. Sheila could see everything around it reflected in its surface – the moon, the stars, the trees, and the cliffs.

And on the shore of the pond stood Morning Star, drinking from the pond. This was the place she had seen in her vision.

“Morning Star!” Sheila exclaimed happily. She had followed the prophecy’s directions correctly and had found the pool of the gods.

Elated, she ran over to Morning Star, but as she approached, Morning Star reared and ran away from her down the shore of the pond. She stopped a little ways away then scuffed her hooves nervously. Sheila was stricken. She started to go after Morning Star again, but then Darian pulled on her arm.

“Wait, Sheila,” he said. “It seems like she’s wild now. I’m not sure she knows you anymore.”

“That can’t be though,” Sheila said. And she knew it didn’t have to be. There was still the spell that Micula had taught her. She had practiced it, and now it was time for her true test. If she failed, well, then Morning Star would never accept her as a rider again. Sheila couldn’t bear that.

“Moon above,” Sheila said, looking up. “Please help bring Morning Star back to me.”

She closed her eyes and concentrated, attempting to cast the spell just as Micula had taught her. She sent a wave of calmness in Morning Star’s direction, enticing her to come back to Sheila. It was a peaceful, pleasant feeling that she conveyed to her, one from her heart. Would Morning Star feel it and answer? She saw herself riding Morning Star across the plains outside of Campora, leaving hoof prints in the dew-covered grass as she galloped.

Suddenly, Sheila felt something nudge her arm. She opened her eyes, and there was Morning Star standing next to her, as though waiting patiently for her to climb on.

“Oh, Morning Star,” Sheila exclaimed, throwing her arms around the unicorn’s neck and hugging her tightly. She buried her face in Morning Star’s thick black mane. It was just as soft and silky as she remembered.

“Wow,” Darian said. “You really managed it. That’s incredible.” He didn’t sound like he was teasing her or being sarcastic this time. He genuinely meant what he was saying. “You are magic, Sheila McCarthy, in every sense of the word.”

“It was only a basic spell,” Sheila said. “Micula said it was even easier than the circle of protection we practiced for.”

“Ah, there’s no need to be modest,” Darian said. “Revel in what you’ve done here. Say that you’re a mighty sorceress who wields arcane magic with ease.”

Sheila laughed. “That’s hardly the case.”

“Not yet anyway,” Darian said, winking at her. “But who knows what the future will bring?”

“Who knows indeed?” Sheila asked. She looked around the grove. It truly was an enchanting place, especially with the pale moonlight glowing over it. “Darian, I-“

Suddenly, there was a loud splash behind her. Sheila whirled and saw that something had surfaced and was emerging from the pond. It was scaled and looked vaguely like an alligator, but bigger and more monstrous and grotesque. It had four eyes and a long snapping snout. When it opened its mouth, Sheila saw rows and rows of sharp-looking teeth. When it had climbed completely out of the water, Sheila saw that it had six legs instead of the usual four. It roared at them, a low and terrifying sound.

“Darian!” Sheila said nervously, backing up. “What is that thing?”

“I don’t know,” Darian said. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The unicorns obviously didn’t like the pond monster, whatever it was. At the sounds of its roar, Morning Star and Wildwing had taken off running to the other side of the pond. The thing then turned toward Sheila and Darian and came right at them, snapping its teeth and growling as it did.

Quickly, Darian attacked it with his sword. He slashed at the monster several times, deftly dodging before the monster could bite him. It did no good though – the thing’s scales were as hard as steel. Darian’s sword couldn’t cut them.

“Get away from it!” Darian called. “I…I can’t hurt it, but at least it’s slow.”

Sheila ran down the bank of the pond. The monster looked between Sheila, Darian, and the unicorns as though it couldn’t decide who it was going to eat first. And then suddenly, an idea occurred to Sheila. She grabbed her backpack off of her back and dug down into it. At the bottom, she found a candy bar, one of two that Farryn still hadn’t eaten. She tore its wrapper off.

“Hey, you!” Sheila called, holding up the chocolate bar. Sheila could see the thing’s nostrils flare. It probably didn’t know what the chocolate bar was, but it liked the smell. She ran right to the edge of the water, and the thing followed her.

She waved the chocolate bar around, and all of the monster’s eyes followed it greedily. Before it could come at her and snatch it, Sheila threw the chocolate bar right into the middle of the pond, the kind of the strong throw she would have made back when she covered third base on her softball team. The monster turned away from her and quickly waded back into the pond. It found the floating chocolate bar and gulped it down in one large bite. Looking almost content, it slowly sank back down into the water, and the surface of the pond was soon still and calm.

Darian ran over to her, his sword still in hand. “Is it…gone?”

“Looks like it,” Sheila said. “Maybe it was just hungry.”

“Then we’re lucky it didn’t eat us for a midnight snack,” Darian said, sheathing his sword. “Or the unicorns.”

“Right,” Sheila said. “Just imagine if we hadn’t been here, that thing might have attacked Morning Star as she drank from the pond. I bet that’s why the prophecy said we had to find her tonight.”

“Amazing,” Darian said. He took her hands in his and smiled down at her. “I stand by what I said before, Sheila. You are magic.”

Sheila looked up at him. He looked so handsome, and Sheila felt almost lost in his dark eyes. “And so are you, Darian.”

They embraced and kiss there by the hidden pond, bathed in moonlight and starlight. They have stayed like that for a while until a sharp whinny caught Sheila’s attention. Morning Star and Wildwing had wandered back over, having waited on their riders enough.

“Well, ready to ride back to the village?” Darian asked her as he started toward the tunnel entrance with Wildwing behind him. “Can you remember how to ride after so long?”

“Oh, I would never forget,” Sheila said. “Just like riding a bicycle.”

Darian gave her a quizzical look. “What’s a bicycle?”

“I’ll tell you another time,” Sheila said, patting Morning Star’s neck. “Alright Darian, lead on through the tunnel.”

The followed the rocky tunnel back into the open lands. Nothing in the land itself had changed, but even in the darkness, it somehow seemed more vibrant to Sheila now that she had Morning Star with her. And she was with Darian too. Things were falling back into place. She took a deep breath, enjoying the cool night air and then hopped up on to Morning Star’s back. It felt wonderful to be riding her again.

“Are you going to ride bareback?” Darian asked as he mounted Wildwing.

“We didn’t bring an extra saddle,” Sheila pointed out.

“I guess not,” Darian said. “Still, you’re riding as Micula did. I guess you truly are your mistress’s apprentice.”

“Don’t call me that,” Sheila said. “And don’t call Micula that.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Though Sheila knew he didn’t mean it.

“It’s fine,” she said all the same. “Hey, Darian?”

“Yes?”

“Race you back to the village,” Sheila said, pressing her heels into Morning Star. She instantly broke into a hard gallop, and Sheila’s hair blew back in the wind as they tore across the land, dodging trees and leaping over rocks. She and Morning Star easily beat Darian and Wildwing back to the Tomai village.

* * *

They stayed in the Tomai village the next day and all of the night after that they would be able to make an early start back to Campora the following day. Dian’s foot was still healing, but Swiftfoot had completely recovered (Sheila marveled at unicorns’ healing powers). They felt it was best for her to still carry only one rider though, who, of course, would be Dian. Fortunately, the Tomai were kind enough to lend Sheila a spare saddle. That meant that going back to Campora, Farryn would ride with her, and Jeno could ride with Darian. With three unicorns, they’d be able to keep up a good speed and avoid any spies of Ankzar who might stumble on them.

Sheila spent that day talking with different Tomai villagers, including the priests and the elders. She learned a lot more about their culture. Of course, there was far more to them than Sheila could learn in a single day. She hoped that she’d be able to come back and learn even more in the future. Some of the Tomai, predictably enough, were more interested in admiring the three unicorns than talking with the outsiders. That was fine by Sheila, and, really, she could understand their wonder.

The night before they left, they ate dinner at Jeno’s house. Wrato joined them. He informed Sheila and Darian that the Tomai warriors had burned one of Ankzar’s soldiers’ ships before it could even come close to shore. The others had turned around and started back south.

“I hope we’ve seen the last of them this time,” Wrato said thunderously. “But if not, the Tomai will drive them back to sea again and again until they stop!”

“Whether you have or not,” Darian said. “I’m going to make sure Prince Laric knows everything about the situation up here. You’ll have support from Campora.”

“Truly?” Wrato asked with a raised eyebrow. “That would certainly be a change from the way things usually are.”

“I swear it,” Darian said. “There will be soldiers out here along the coast, even if I have to lead them myself.”

“Alas, more outsiders in our lands,” Wrato said. “But perhaps, if we can get along, then there can be benefits to both the Tomai and Campora.”

“I think that’s possible,” Sheila said. “I’d love to come back out to the village too.”

Between the victory over Ankzar’s soldiers and the prospect of assistance from Campora, Wrato’s mood became much more jovial. He sang a Tomai song very loudly and off-key for them after dinner. Jeno grimaced and covered his ears. Sheila wanted to do the same, but that would have been rude to their hosts. She did, however, stop Farryn from asking the words so that she could join in. The last thing anyone needed to hear was those two singing together.

Sheila shared with Wrato what she had found in the woods and the thing that had emerged from the pond, but he didn’t know any more than she did.

“I’m not even sure I could easily find that place again,” Sheila said. “If it wasn’t for Wildwing, we might not have found it in the first place, even with the prophecy’s direction.”

“Perhaps it is for the best that it stays hidden,” Wrato said. “If what you found is truly the place that the gods meet, then they surely would not wish for us to disturb it. They probably left that creature in the pond to guard it.”

“Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t want to bother that thing again,” Sheila said, repressing a shudder.

Early the next morning, they started down the road to Campora. Just as they passed the ridge where they and the Tomai had fought Ankzar’s soldiers, the sun rose, brilliantly painting the sky as it did. A cool breeze blew in from the sea, scenting the air with the smell of salt. It looked like it was going to be another beautiful day.

“We’ll have a lot to do when we get back,” Sheila said to Darian as she pulled Morning Star up to Wildwing.

“First and foremost will be informing Illyria and Laric of what Ankzar and Tezrah are up to,” Darian said.

“And then implementing whatever plan of action they decide on,” Sheila said.

“I hope I can be a part of that,” Dian said. “After my foot heals.”

“I’m sure you will be,” Sheila said. “You’re one of Illyria’s best warriors, she’d never leave you out.”

“I’ll need to start thinking about how I’m going to get home now that Sheila’s task is finished,” Farryn remarked.

“And we also need to hold my feast!” Jeno exclaimed from behind Darian. “Don’t forget about that.”

“As if you’d let us,” Darian said, grinning.

“Let’s go, then,” Sheila said. “If we keep up a decent pace, we can be feasting come sundown tomorrow.”

She pressed her heels into Morning Star’s side, and the unicorn took off down the road. Wildwing and Swiftfoot quickly caught up. The three unicorns and their five riders were on their way back to Campora.


	16. Returning Home

The grand banquet hall in the Campora palace was once again full of conversation and laughter.

Sheila, Darian, and Dian had joined their fellow unicorn riders, Laric, and his warriors, plus Farryn and Jeno for another large feast. It was a full house. If anything, this felt more joyous than the one that was held the night Sheila had returned to Campora. Laric sat at the head of the table as usual, with Jeno at his left side, a place of honor. Darian ended up between Jeno and Sheila and noted that it had pretty much been the same since they had left the Tomai village.

“Only now the food is much better!” Jeno exclaimed as he dug into his third plate.

“I don’t think anyone here can eat more than that boy,” Darian commented to Sheila. “Well, except maybe Farryn.”

“Don’t say that too loudly,” Sheila said, grinning at him. “They’ll both take it as a challenge and start a competition.”

“You seem to be doing pretty well yourself,” Darian said.

“I didn’t realize how hungry I was,” Sheila said. “I’ll have to exercise all this off when we’re done.”

“Well, enjoy it while you can,” Darian said. “You never know when our duty will send us away from Campora again.”

“Perhaps sooner than you think, brother,” Illyria said.

“I hate to ask it of you, as you’ve done so much,” Laric said, addressing Illyria and Darian. “But I will need your riders’ help against Ankzar and Tezrah. You’re as capable warriors as my own men, and you also have unicorns. There is no way we can make it through this without you.”

“Of course we’ll assist,” Illyria said. “All of my riders will support our efforts.”

Sheila looked over at Zanara-Ki. There was no question she’d want to be in on the fight against Ankzar and Tezrah. Ankzar had once enslaved her and had her sister executed before handing Zanara-Ki over to Dynasian, after all. She always seemed calm as still water, but Sheila knew she harbored a burning hatred for the man.

“I’ve got some ideas on how to handle Ankzar and Tezrah,” Illyria continued. “It will be dangerous, but then…these are dangerous foes.”

“I’ll listen to your advice, my love,” Laric said. “After all, you’re generally right about these things.”

“It’ll take some time to finalize such plans though,” Illyria said. “And in the meantime, we’ll need to reach out to the Tomai, won’t we?”

“Yes,” Laric said. “It’s far past time we do that. It’s a shame that I didn’t think to do so until Ankzar started landing hostile spies in their lands.”

“Better late than never,” Sheila said.

“Indeed, Sheila,” Illyria said. She turned back to Laric. “My love, I know a pair of people who are very well-suited to helping us build up trust between Campora and the Tomai.”

“Uh-huh,” Darian said suspiciously, looking up from his food. “Would that be Sheila and me?”

“Dear brother, you should know better than to speak with your mouth full,” Illyria chided him playfully.

“I think they’re perfect for the job!” Jeno said as he took a bite out a large leg of lamb.

“You shouldn’t talk with your mouth full either,” Darian muttered. Everyone laughed, and the meal and talked continued. Sheila half-hoped the feast would never end.

After a while, Sheila turned looked at the windows. It was very late, and most of the others had cleared out of the hall. There were a few of the others scattered about the table still, but only four people besides her remained near the head – Illyria, Laric, Darian, and Farryn. Jeno had gone off with Dian to explore the Campora palace; clearly, sitting around and talking had bored him. Darian had moved over into his seat, so Sheila had as well, which put her directly across from Farryn.

“You’re probably going to be heading back to Eavothen soon, aren’t you?” Sheila asked her, though that did make her a little sad. The two of them had been through so much together.

“Or have you decided to stay here instead?” Darian asked.

“Ah, no,” Farryn said. “This is a lovely city, and the company here is good, but the far south is not the place where I belong. I need to make for home.”

Sheila understood that. It was what she had been doing all along. Still, she knew that getting someplace far away was easier said than done, especially in this world with no planes or trains or interstate highways.

“How are you going to do that?” Sheila asked. “We’ve been kind of making things up as we went along, so we never really got to figuring out how to get you back home.”

“I shall simply follow the goddess’s eye and travel north until I reach Eavothen,” Farryn said, as though it were that easy. “If I keep walking, eventually I will get there.”

“That’s a terrible plan,” Darian said, frowning. “And it might not even get you where you want to go.”

“Sheila and I walked all the way from goddess-knows-where to Ansar,” Farryn said.

“That was a little different though,” Sheila said.

“I would have some of my men escort you there,” Laric said. “But that’s a long journey, and I don’t know if I can spare them for such an extended period of time.”

“We have to do something for the girl though,” Illyria said. “She helped Sheila return here and assisted her in the task of recovering Morning Star.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Sheila said. “It should work, provided a friend of ours is still in port. We can check for him tomorrow.” She turned to Laric and Illyria. “But we’ll need some gold to pay him.”

* * *

With her colorful sails and shining hull, it would have been hard to miss the _Sea Sabre_ in Campora’s port. Sheila was relieved that Captain Randal was still there. When Sheila and Farryn asked one of his crew to summon him, he walked down from his ship wearing a snappy green ensemble and a wide smile on his face.

“Hello, Sheila and Farryn,” Randal greeted them. “I see you’ve come once again. This pleases me greatly. Are you two seeking to purchase something today? I’ve sold much of my wares, but I still have things in stock that I’m sure you’ll like.”

“We are looking to buy something,” Sheila said. “But not goods. We’re looking to book passage on your ship again, Captain Randal.” She pulled out the large sack of gold coins that Illyria had given her and showed it to him.

Randal whistled as he peaked into the sack. “Such a hefty sum.” He looked up at them and flashed his straight, white teeth in another smile. “Very well, ladies. My ship, my crew, and I are all at your disposal. Where are you two wishing to venture?”

“Not me,” Sheila said. “Just Farryn this time.”

“Have you ever sailed to Eavothen, Captain Randal?” Farryn asked. “It’s my home, and I’m looking to return there.”

“Eavothen?” Randal asked, scratching his chin. “No, I’ve never sailed to the distant north. It’s a very long journey. And they say the waters there are deathly cold. The body of water that Eavothen is near is not called ‘the Freezing Sea’ for nothing, as I’m sure you know.”

“It’s not actually frozen though,” Farryn said. “Ships sail through it all the time, even during winter.”

“I see.” Captain Randal stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I suppose it would be a market I’ve not tried before, with many new potential customers…”

“I’m sure lots of Evurin will come to buy from you,” Farryn said. “It’s pretty rare that a merchant from so far away would come to visit.”

“Is that so?” Randal said. He peered intently at them. “You two are interesting customers to constantly bring me offers where I end up being the one who comes out far ahead.”

“Maybe you’re just that talented,” Sheila said. “You are a merchant extraordinaire, after all.”

Randal laughed deeply and winked at Sheila. “Indeed I am. Ah, very well. I shall make this long voyage.”

Farryn’s eyes lit up. “You mean it? Really?”

“Let me get my affairs in order and make preparations,” Randal said. “You do the same. In two days, we shall sail north on the tide. To Eavothen.” With that, he accepted the sack of gold from Sheila, bowed to them, then walked up the gangplank back to his ship, calling over the members of his crew as he did.

“At last,” Farryn said. She turned to Sheila and smiled widely. “I’m finally going back to Eavothen. Thank you, Sheila McCarthy. I would never be going home were it not for you.”

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you,” Sheila said, smiling back at her.

“The goddess was truly watching over us both when she brought us together.”

“Maybe she was,” Sheila said.

“It’ll be a long ship ride,” Farryn said, looking up at the _Sea Sabre_. “I hope I don’t too sick.”

“You know, maybe we do something about that this time,” Sheila said. “Come on, let’s head back to the palace and see Pelu. She’s our group’s healer, so she’ll probably have something for that.”

They headed back to the palace. Sheila noticed that she seemed to be learning the maze that was the streets of Campora. It was taking her less and less time when she had to travel between the palace and anywhere else.

_I had better learn the layout of this place_. _It’s my home from now on, after all!_

* * *

The next two days passed in a whirlwind. Sheila spent much of it doing what she imagined she’d be doing over the next few weeks or even months: practicing swordplay and archery, attending lessons with Micula, and, when she could find the time, riding Morning Star. Farryn came along for the fighting and archery practices. Sheila resolved to someday be as good as her and Dian and Zanara-Ki and…well, everyone else. But she could hold her own pretty well at everything, she knew that much.

In between activities, she also made time to see Darian. Of course, he was busy doing many of the same things as her and was now sent to scout north of Campora instead. Laric had named the two of them as envoys to the Tomai, which would mean going back and forth between their village and Campora until some kind of agreement was secured. That was fine by Sheila. She wondered if they would eventually have to turn their attention south though. Now that Ankzar and Tezrah’s spies had been discovered by Campora and largely driven off by the Tomai, it was probably only a matter of time before the brothers would hatch another scheme.

The morning that Farryn was to leave, she showed up in Sheila’s quarters just after sunrise. Her white cloak and hood and been mended and cleaned and glowed a gleaming white. Sheila wondered if all the apostle disciples in Eavothen wore white.

“Good morning, Farryn,” Sheila greeted her. “All set for your journey?”

“I am,” Farryn said. “But there is one matter I wanted to discuss with you before I left.”

“Sure, what is it?”

Farryn smiled. “I have an offer for you.” She reached into her satchel and pulled out the ancient book she had first shown the Sheila in the McCarthy kitchen back on Earth. Holding it out to Sheila, she said: “Would you like to keep the old ones’ book? Perhaps you’ll figure out how to use it to visit your old home, should you ever wish to do so.”

Sheila was stunned. “That book has to be priceless though. You…you would really give it to me just like that, Farryn?”

“I would.” Farryn pressed the book into Sheila’s hands.

Sheila looked at the old book, one that someone had once created to travel to different places and something that she and Farryn had used to cross the divided between worlds. She ran her hand over the faded, torn cover, feeling the leather that must have been cured a long, long time ago. Someone had once penned this book and filled it with power, though perhaps not quite for the purpose that Sheila and Farryn had used it for. It was possible Sheila could figure out how to use it to go between worlds at will though, maybe with years of research and working with Micula. The idea was tempting. And it was unlikely she’d ever find anything else in this world that could accomplish what Dr. Reit’s invention had. The book was essentially unique.

But Sheila knew she couldn’t go that route. She had left that life behind, and she knew that trying to go back there right now would only cause her doubt and heartache and, if she was unlucky, disaster.

Sheila shook her head at Farryn and passed the book back to her. “I can’t accept this, Farryn.”

Farryn blinked. “Why not?”

“Because I know how important it is to you,” Sheila said. “Because I know you have people back in Eavothen who’d love to study it. And because…honestly, this is where I want to stay for now. This world, I mean.”

Farryn looked down at the book and then back up at Sheila. “Are you certain?”

“I insist,” Sheila said. “Besides, maybe your people at home will figure out how to get it working, and then when I come and see you, we’ll make a trip then.”

“Then I shall make sure the scholars study it in earnest,” Farryn said. “I just wish there was something I could give you before I leave. I can never truly repay you for all that you’ve done for me.”

“I told you that isn’t necessary,” Sheila said. “Besides, you did give me something. Remember that dagger from the ruins?”

“Ah, yes. But that never seemed like anything much…”

“It saved my life in that fight against Ankzar’s soldiers,” Sheila said. “And it’s a present from you. So, it’s doubly special now.”

“Then I’m glad,” Farryn said. “I hope it continues to serve you well.”

“I’m sure it will,” Sheila said. “And hey, since you’re here, I have something small for you before you go.”

“Oh?”

“Yep!” Sheila got her backpack from the side of the bed and unzipped the outer pocket. She dug in and pulled out a chocolate bar then offered it to Farryn. “The last candy bar. I think it might have gotten squished a little at some point, but it should still be good.”

“Oh, now this is a rare thing,” Farryn said, taking it. “It seems almost a shame to eat it.”

“It’s so rare that it’s the only one the entire world,” Sheila said. “But you had better eat it, or it will go stale. And you probably want to put your book away before you do. You don’t want to get chocolate all over it.”

“Right.” Farryn did just that, then unwrapped chocolate bar. She hesitated for a moment, then broke it in half and offered part of it, Sheila. “Would you like some?”

Sheila laughed. “Now that I’ll accept.”

“I’ll keep the wrapper as a memento of our friendship. You know, it’s a shame you didn’t bring any of that…cola.” Farryn said the strange word carefully. “I would have enjoyed drinking more of it.”

“Well, maybe someone in your homeland will invent carbonated beverages,” Sheila said. “You never know.”

Farryn tilted her head. “Carbonated…?”

“Ah, never mind, let’s just eat,” Sheila said as she ate her half chocolate bar. It tasted like Earth to her. It was her parents, Dr. Reit, Cookie, her school…everything she had left behind. That made her a little sad, but she knew she couldn’t spend her whole life ruing over all that. At least she had this small reminder of it all.

When she had finished, she looked back at Farryn. “You had better get going. If you stand around talking with me all morning, you’ll miss your ship.”

“Right,” said Farryn. “Excuse me, I must go and say my farewells to everyone else now. I’ll see you at the palace gate.”

A little while later, Sheila and Darian escorted Farryn down to where the _Sea Sabre_ was docked. It was a bright, sunny day and perfect for sailing. Farryn looked much like she did the first time she had stepped on to Sheila’s porch - her satchel at her side, her array of weapons at hand, and her white hood up. When they got to the _Sea Sabre_, Farryn looked up and closed her eyes. She opened them and looked at Darian and Sheila.

“I’ve waited so long to go back home,” Farryn said. “I can hardly believe the day has finally come for me to start the last leg of my journey there. Thank you again for everything you’ve done for me. It has been fascinating traveling with both of you. And visiting all the places I’ve been as certainly widened my perspectives. It will give me a lot to think about when I continue my training and education back home.”

Sheila’s earlier intuition had been right; Nanine’s words had indeed stuck with Farryn. That made her glad.

“Well, you made the best out of a lot of bad situations,” Sheila said. “And persevered anyway.”

“As have you, Sheila McCarthy,” Farryn said.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re two peas in a pod,” Darian said. Sheila poked him in the side.

“Farryn!” Captain Randal called from the deck of the ship. “We are ready to depart!”

“I’ll be there in a moment, Captain Randal!” Farryn called back.

“Don’t forget to eat those herbs for nausea that Pelu gave you,” Sheila advised her. “One every morning.”

“Certainly,” Farryn said, nodding emphatically. “I would never be able to make the voyage without them. I’m grateful to your healer.”

Darian grinned at her. “What, your goddess doesn’t protect you from seasickness?”

“Careful,” Farryn said, giving him a sly grin in return. “She doesn’t tolerate mockery either.”

“You’ll have to handle this one yourself, Darian,” Sheila said. “I’m fond of you, but I’m not going up against some wrathful goddess for you just because you couldn’t hold your tongue.”

“Abandoned in my hour of need,” Darian said. “Such betrayal.”

“Hey, you brought it on yourself,” Sheila said.

Farryn laughed. “I am going to miss the both of you. I hope you find much happiness together.”

“I’m sure we will,” Sheila said.

“Remember,” Farryn said. “Whenever you come to visit Eavothen, you will find yourselves most welcome. I will show you the same hospitality that you’ve shown me.”

“Sheila did say something about us doing some traveling…” Darian said with a grin. “And maybe after she learns enough magic, she can teleport us there instantly or something. Though all three of us might be pretty old by then.” Sheila poked him in the side again, harder this time, and he yelped. “Hey! Watch it, that finger of yours is pointy.”

“Ever the brave warrior,” Sheila teased him. She turned to Farryn. “Thank you, Farryn. I hope someday we can come and visit. I’m sure this won’t be the last we ever see of each other. In the meantime, good luck with your all training and everything else.”

“Farryn!” Captain Randal called again from the deck of the _Sea Sabre_. “We must be moving! Please finish up with you your good-byes!”

“Be right there!” Farryn called back to him. She turned back to Sheila, and a few tears were running down her cheek. “Well, this is it, Sheila McCarthy. This is where we part ways.”

“Looks like it,” Sheila said, choking up a little.

“Good-bye, my friend,” Farryn said, hugging her tightly. “May the goddess bless you and always shine her light over your path.”

“You too, Farryn,” Sheila said, hugging her back and trying her best not to start crying as well. “I’ll miss you. Good-bye.”

“Farewell, Farryn,” Darian added. “Safe journeys to you.”

Farryn bowed to them a final time and tapped her chest twice. She turned and ran up the gangplank on to the deck of the _Sea Sabre_. Sheila and Darian watched until the ship had pulled up its anchor and slowly started moving away from the harbor. It got smaller and smaller as it approached the horizon and soon vanished out of sight altogether.

Darian put his arm around her. “Are you okay, Sheila?”

“Yes. But it’s hard to see a friend leave,” Sheila said. Her parents, Cookie, and Dr. Reit back on Earth probably felt similarly about her. And she had never given them the chance to say goodbye to her. But like Farryn, Sheila had to return to the place where she truly belonged. She turned and looked up at Darian. “I hope Farryn makes it safely back to Eavothen.”

“Me too,” Darian said. “But I’m sure she’ll be fine. And pretty soon, we’ll be much too busy to worry about that or anything else much. We probably ought to get back to the palace and see what Laric and my sister have for us to do next. Plus, I’m sure the sorceress has some new assignment for her favorite apprentice.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Sheila said, nodding at him. It was no good standing around. They had work to do. She took Darian’s hand in hers. “Let’s head home.” With that, they started up the dock back in the direction of the Campora palace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading my story! I wrote this fic years ago, but it was only recently that I decided to publish it. It had to go through some pretty extensive editing, and a few parts were rewritten entirely. As you probably noticed, not every loose end in the plot was tied up. There are actually two more parts to this that I planned. I started on the second one and never finished, but now I hope to finish it anyway sometime in the future. In the meantime, I’m glad I at least got this part up. And I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


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